The Lessons they Teach
by Cam Flynn
Summary: Life was normal in the Seville house...bullies bothering Alvin's brothers, a crazy teacher, Brittany always ragging on Alvin's looks...But everything changed when Alvin lost his voice on stage in the middle of the biggest concert of their lives.
1. Chapter 1

**OK guys. You love the cartoon chipmunks, right? Well, go to my profile and sign (or at least LOOK AT) my petition to save them and the morals they had. The live-action was funny and cute, but it WASN'T the Chipmunks I wanted to see. I want to see our Chipmunks, so help me tell Ross Jr. and Janice that Ross Sr. would NOT be proud of that movie (it goes against the morals that the Chipmunks were created on) and that the new Chipmunks, while they are up-to-date, are not the Chipmunks anymore. They're something unrecognizable and we can help show Ross and Janice how to make them up-to-date without killing who they are. And now, without further ranting, my fanfic-novel:**

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 1

Alvin pulled the blankets up over his head as the sun came up. Another day of school, another day of annoying bullies, another day of crazy teachers, another day of homework. The bullies didn't bother him, except to try to beat his lunch out of him. It was that the bullies always went after Theodore and Simon, and that got to him. For once he wished he didn't have to look after his brothers. He loved them, but he wanted them to learn how to fight back on their own.

Then there was the crazy teacher (the kind that treated Simon like he was retarded because he was smarter than everyone else) that gave out more homework than they'd ever seen before. She had a personal grudge against Alvin. Something about her granddaughter having a crush on him because he was the cutest of the Chipmunks and him not noticing…and the fact that the teacher just didn't like modern musicians. For just one day he wished he could stay home.

Alvin peeked out, noticing that Simon and Theodore had gone down for breakfast. He had to work fast, or else Dave would come up and catch him. He poked around Simon's stuff, wondering what his brother had kept up in their room. There was a formula that Simon was making to find a way to heat things up without a microwave, and it said that it was non-toxic but side-effects if ingested were unknown. Oh well. If it could give him a fake fever, Alvin was all for it.

"Alvin?" Dave called through the door. "Are you coming down for breakfast?" Alvin scrambled for a hiding place for the bottle, making himself dizzy. "Alvin?"

"Coming!" he called back, his voice cracking a bit as he started coughing. That potion wasn't agreeing with him much. Good.

"Are you ok?" Dave opened the door, finding Alvin sitting on his bed as he coughed. All of a sudden Alvin felt his body heating up, but his skin was feeling colder than usual. That couldn't be good.

"I…think…" He put on his most innocent look, just going with it. "I think I might be sick…" Dave's hand rested on his forehead for a moment.

"You don't feel warm…is it just a cough?"

"Apparently…But…" He started coughing again. It was more his throat than anything. Had the potion somehow gotten stuck? That wouldn't make any sense…it was a drink…

"Come downstairs and get something to drink. Maybe that will help."

"Sure…" When was it going to raise his temperature? He wanted a fever (a small one that would get him out of school but not actually make him sick).

"Are you ok?" Theodore asked as his brother was led into the kitchen. "You looked better ten minutes ago…"

"I was asleep ten minutes ago." He drank the water Dave gave him and instantly felt better. It was ice cold, comforting to his burning insides. Still, he looked terrible from the small ordeal…maybe he could get out of school.

"Better?" Dave asked, watching Alvin closely. The chipmunk let out a small cough, but it wasn't genuine. He sat down, resting his head on the table. Again, Dave checked for a temperature, and again there was nothing. "You feel cold, actually…Well, the temperature is going down. Are you two cold at all?"

"Not really," Simon said. "I actually got a little over heated last night."

"Hm…" Alvin looked up hopefully. "Alvin, are you sure you don't feel good?"

"I feel sick," was the hesitated reply. Simon left the table quietly as Dave sat down.

"Tell me exactly how you feel."

"Well…there was the coughing…and I'm a bit diz…"

"Wait!" Simon said as he ran back in.

"What?" Simon stuck a sticker to Alvin's forehead. "What's that?"

"Just talk. Are you sick?"

"Yes…" Something started beeping.

"Sick or just trying to skip school?"

"Sick." The beeping continued. "What is that?"

"My portable lie detector." Alvin growled a bit.

"I don't feel very good though…" The beeping kept up. "But I was coughing really bad…" No beeping. "See? I am sick." The beeping picked back up, getting more growls out of Alvin. He really didn't feel good on the inside, but it was more nervousness now.

"You were probably just coughing because you needed a drink." While Simon felt bad ratting out his brother like that, he couldn't stand going to school without Alvin these days. He was starting to get a bit fearful of the bully. Alvin glanced to his other side, shrinking away a bit at Dave's glare. Without a word, Dave got up and served the three their breakfasts.

"Thanks," Alvin hissed quietly to his brother.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Alvin," Dave called after school. He'd told the oldest chipmunk that morning to give him the day to think about what had just happened, and now Alvin was home and his brothers were upstairs. Time to talk. "Is there any particular reason you didn't want to go to school today?"

"It's been to long since we've had a day off."

"You get weekends off. And I let you fellas skip a day if a concert or recording session got too late into the night. How is that too long?"

"With a teacher like ours, two days a week would be too long. She's nuts! Just ask Simon. He'd agree with me." Dave sighed and shook his head a bit.

"Alvin, you can't skip school for anything, except your health. Weather you like it or not, you're going to have that teacher all year, so you might as well get used to her. I agree she's a little…out of the ordinary, but that's just something you to learn to live with."

"But Dave, we've been hoping to get the other teacher since we first heard about her! And that was in first grade! Kids have told horror stories from being in her class."

"Probably to scare the kids that were coming into the grade. I bet she's a really nice teacher if you give her a chance. Now, no more trying to skip school, ok?" Alvin crossed his arms, glaring a bit. "Alvin…"

"Fine. But that doesn't change how I feel about Miss Montgomery."

"Don't expect it to. Go get your homework done." Alvin was relieved to run off ungrounded.

"Alvin!" Simon complained as he reached their room. "Have you seen my latest…?"

"Potion?" Alvin interrupted. "No. Not since you were working on it last night."

"I just had this huge idea about how it could be better used to…"

"Simon, I really don't care right now…Well, it's not that I don't care, it's that I probably won't understand whatever you say anyway." Alvin dropped his bag on the floor, jumping up onto his bed. Suddenly he really didn't feel so good.

"Are you sick now?" Theodore asked, climbing up beside his brother on the bed. "You look even worse than when you came down for breakfast." This time it was the youngest chipmunk that was checking for a fever.

"Don't bother. I don't have one." He buried his face in his pillow. "I'm just so sick of school."

"We've only been in school for two months."

"I know…this year is just so…" He rolled over, tugging at his hair a bit. "Gah! I just can't stand it. We didn't do anything last summer…we've never not done anything."

"You'd figure after we went around the world in a hot air balloon that would be enough excitement for one childhood," Simon mumbled as he looked under his bed.

"That was fun, yeah…but last summer was so boring in comparison."

"Anything would be boring in comparison. Alvin, we saw half the world in just over a month…and then we were kidnapped by diamond smugglers!"

"Heh. Only for about ten minutes before Ms. Miller ran them off the road."

"We lost all our souvenirs," Theodore sighed. "Well, except the clothes the natives gave us."

"If those can count as clothes," Simon laughed as he stood up. "Where is it? Alvin, are you sure you haven't seen it?"

"I'm positive," Alvin groaned. He wasn't going to tell Simon he drank the thing. It was crazy enough drinking it. Now Simon was saying it was something else all together…Alvin just hoped he hadn't just poisoned himself to death. It said non-toxic. His head hurt. "I think I'm going to sleep some…"

"Take a nap?"

"Taking naps are for babies. I'm just going to sleep a little bit." Alvin kicked off his shoes, crawled under his blankets, and almost instantly falling asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can too. Now, I'm going to talk about my story for a sec.** _One:_** This serves as a disclaimer for the whole story, k? I don't own them, unfortiunatly. If I did own them I'd ask you guys what you want to see, not just come out with a live-action movie that perverts who they are...**_Two: _**I wrote this story a couple months ago, and for the longest time my computer wouldn't let me upload any documents, so I got a new account and now I can. So I can bring you all my Chip-stories. **_Three:_** As songs come up in this story, I'll be posting the links to the video that's closest to the song on my profile. Also, there are several references to the Alvin Show (the original Chipmunks cartoon from the 60s), so all you have to do for those if you're wodnering is look up the channel AlvinsHarmonica and you can see those (Like in this chapter I mentioned the Squares, and that's from the Alvin Show). **_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about it. Tell people you wouldn't expect to like it. I did. I took it to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young. Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 2:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 2

"So do I count as sick?" Alvin asked excitedly.

"No," Dave replied sternly. When he'd come up to tell the boys it was time for dinner, Alvin had had a bit of a fever. But that had gone away by morning, unfortunately. Alvin still had a splitting headache though. "Here's some pain medicine. You still have to go to school. The fever is gone." Alvin's head hung a bit.

"Nice try," Simon mumbled, not taking his nose up out of the book he was reading. "Are you sure…"

"I'm sure!" Alvin snapped. He didn't mean to, he was just sick of Simon asking where the stinking potion was.

"Just asking."

"Why don't you ask Theodore?"

"I did."

"Then why do you keep asking me?"

"Because you've been known to mess with my stuff."

"Once. And you really got carried away that time too." Simon laughed a little.

"You're still jealous, aren't you?"

"No."

"Yes. Everyone loved me more than you for once. Your fur was a mess for weeks too." He couldn't help but smile at the memory, even if his brother was glaring at him. Of course, when the glare didn't stop, his smile went away. "Let it go Alvin. Really." Dave set their breakfasts in front of them, sitting down beside Alvin. Simon was on the other side of the table, but it would be safest to stay close in case Alvin picked a fight. He wasn't in the best of moods this morning.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Are they ready yet?" Brittany complained about half an hour later. "Honestly, they take more time than we do sometimes."

"Fellas!" Dave called upstairs. "You're going to be late!" They came down in a line, each of them looking like they'd been in a car crash. "What happened?"

"An early morning game," Alvin lied. He and Simon had gotten into another fist fight (probably their fourth this school year) and Theodore had tried to stop them.

"That crazy tic-tac-toe thing again?" They nodded. "Promise you won't ever play that game again."

"K." Dave knew that the two were fighting, but there was really nothing he could do about it. If he told them to cut it out or grounded them for it, nothing would change. They'd still fight. Somehow, though, Dave could tell something else was going on. He just wasn't sure what.

"You are not going to school like that," Brittany complained, pulling a hair brush out of her backpack and working to make Alvin look a little neater. Ever since the press had been on them for a 'date' they had gone on, she made extra sure that he looked presentable at all times. Jeanette and Eleanor didn't mind as much, but they wanted to clean up their 'dates' as well (it had been a Chipmunk/Chipette date, really just friends, but the press made it into more).

"Go ahead," Simon sighed when he saw the look on Jeanette's face. She timidly reached out to help him look more presentable; taking the brush her sister offered her (when Brittany was done with Alvin).

"Here," Eleanor said as she fixed up Theodore. "There you go.

"Thanks," he replied. Alvin just rolled his eyes and Simon smiled a little as Jeanette even cleaned his glasses for him.

"Hurry, you'll be late," Dave urged, hurrying them out the door. They walked in silence for a bit, the girls wondering what to say about the bickering brothers. They had to get things cleared up before their Halloween concert they were doing together. That was just two weeks away now.

"Hey kiddies!" a much larger boy taunted as he ran up, snatching Simon's glasses. "Still small I see."

"You're three years older than us, Cal," Simon stated back calmly. "I need my glasses to see."

"No one needs glasses to see that you six are the shortest kids in class."

"And no one needs glasses to see that you're the oldest kid in class." Cal had been held back three different years, and now they were unlucky enough to have him in their grade. The bully puffed up his chest a bit, glancing around at all the glaring chipmunks.

"That just means I'm three years stronger than all of you." He calmed down, tossing the glasses over his shoulder as he walked on. "I hope you all brought something nice for me to eat today." They all glanced down at their bagged lunches. The Chipmunks had asked Dave for something extra that day (even Alvin, who didn't want to mess with Cal if he didn't have to in a head on fight). The really hoped he delivered.

"I'm really getting sick of him," Jeanette said as she picked Simon's glasses up for him, once again cleaning them off before handing them back.

"What else can we do though?" Simon asked. "It's not like the teachers can do anything without any proof that he's a bully and it's not like any of us can take him if he decides to pick a fight."

"I could," Alvin said with pride. "I just don't want to take the chance of getting a black eye or something right before the concert."

"You'd get more than just a black eye taking on Cal, Alvin. He'd probably break your arms or something."

"I wouldn't let him."

"You wouldn't have a choice!"

"Enough!" Eleanor demanded. "We have to get to school. We're going to be late." She linked her arm with Theodore's and led him down the street, not even pausing to look back at the others. This had to be the roughest on him, being in the middle all the time. That or being ignored completely. "Do you want to get ice cream after school?"

"Sure!" he cheered. It was wonderful to know some aspects of fifth grade life were still simple.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Simon sighed heavily as he leaned up against the counter. It was eleven or so at night and he couldn't sleep at all. Cal was running all through his mind. He was starting to wonder how Theodore put up with it all the time. Maybe it was because bullies always picked on Theodore that the littlest chipmunk could handle it so much. This was the first time Simon could recall anyone specifically singling him out. Sure, there were a couple groups that had taken on all three chipmunks, but never just Simon.

"Trouble sleeping?" Alvin said from the doorway, causing Simon to jump (and spill the drink in his hand).

"Alvin! Don't sneak up on people like that!" Simon hissed.

"Actually…If you'd paid any attention at all, I was quite noisy in following you. I ran into almost everything and tripped twice, but you seemed so far off in your own world that I didn't even bother saying anything at all. Then I got bored."

"You've been standing there this whole time?"

"Yep. So what's been bugging you?" They studied each other for a moment, letting the question hand in the air. They were both leaning against something (Simon the counter, Alvin the doorway) and they both had their arms sort-of crossed, looking half formidable and half exhausted of the tough-guy act that was going on between them.

"Too many things."

"Miss Montgomery, Cal, and that potion of yours?"

"It's not a potion, and I can just make another."

"So it is the teacher and Cal?"

"Not completely, but that's a place to start." Alvin went over and sat in a chair, and Simon followed without thinking about it. It was so easy to talk to Alvin when he wasn't being conceited or when he wasn't upset.

"She's crazy, Miss Montgomery. I wish she'd just retire already."

"You just say that because she hasn't given you anything above a C."

"She hasn't given you anything above a B. You. Simon Seville. The smartest kid in our school district." Simon pushed his glasses up on his nose a bit. He couldn't argue with that.

"Listen, I'm sorry I'm always bugging you…it's just…"

"She treats you like you're stupid and you don't like it. You want to feel smart."

"You make me sound like a bully." Alvin laughed a little as he crossed his arms on the table.

"In a way we all are, you know." He rested his head on his crossed arms.

"Trying to be philosophical now?"

"No, just thinking."

"That's dangerous." Alvin glared a glare that actually made Simon shut completely up. Alvin wanted to be heard and nothing was going to stop him.

"See, Cal always picks on us, but if you've ever seen him with his family…well, they aren't much of a family. He figures he can feel loved if he picks on people that have perfect families…"

"Not so perfect, apparently. So why does he pick me out?"

"You're the perfect kid. You're smart and responsible. So what if you're not all that athletic? I bet every parent wants a kid like you. They'd never have to worry."

"Too bad I came with two brothers, eh? I bet only Dave can handle all three of us. We are a handful."

"We're not so bad anymore. Back when we first moved to LA, now those were the nightmare days. Dave must have really had fun then."

"Remember when he decided to go golfing when we kept complaining about his song? We got the neighbor to come over and tried to teach him how to yell 'Alvin' right." They giggled at the memory.

"Yeah…I don't think I can go into the music writing business. That song I wrote was terrible."

"Hey, you didn't have to sing it with us."

"No, I just had to listen to it."

"And go along with it because you had too much pride to say it stunk."

"Pretty much. But you weren't no angel back then yourself you know. We were always pulling pranks."

"Now we just run off and fly around the world when Dave's not home." As they thought over what their life had been like when they were five and younger, it was easy to see the differences. Back then they'd been more than just a handful…they'd acted like they were on caffeine all the time. While they had calmed down a lot since then, they knew that no one else would ever be able to handle their little peculiarities.

"So first we lived up north in a cabin, and then we moved into the city, then down to LA…"

"We moved into this house three and a half years ago. I remember it was right before we met the Chipettes." They sat in silence for a moment before Alvin cracked up laughing.

"Remember the Squares? That crazy lady was trying to get us kicked out of the music business."

"Didn't we get her sent off to the asylum?"

"Yep! She was dancing around singing 'baby' at the top of her lungs. All the neighbors begged her to be taken away."

"I think her whole group later came to tell us that they liked us and just signed it because she'd scared them into it." They laughed a bit more. "So…Alvin? Why do we always get in fights?"

"I dunno. I think it's just because of this school year…The teacher and Cal and the press and the Chipettes…Brittany doesn't care about anything but her image, and now that she's known as my date she keeps attacking me if I don't look perfect because that might ruin her image."

"I think Jeanette thinks about it some too, but she's not as open about it…obviously. Who can blame her though? She's a girl, and most girls worry about looks."

"No girl worries about it as much as Brittany."

"Well, any boy would be a bit of a let down to her. She doesn't seem to want anything less than perfection." Alvin's eyebrows furrowed together.

"You getting at something with that?"

"No. Just saying that her idea of perfection probably isn't you."

"Why not?" Simon couldn't help but snort.

"It's Brittany. You and her fight constantly, so she'll always find some imperfection just because that's who she is. If she were to suddenly back off, Jeanette would probably start jumping up in the middle of class and singing a song as loud as she can or getting into a fight even! It could never happen." Alvin rolled his eyes, and a realization hit Simon. It was one he never really considered just because of who Alvin was. "You want her to think you're perfect, don't you?"

"No. I don't care what Brittany thinks."

"Yeah right! Why'd you just roll your eyes then?"

"Because…I'm done with this. I'm going back to bed." Just like that their happy conversation had gone sour again. Simon also finally realized it wasn't just the pressure they were under, the torment of their teacher or of Cal…but Alvin's newest feelings for the Chipette were playing in the mix too. Before they'd always been paired together, but Alvin hadn't really had a crush on her. It was obvious that he was crushing hard now, though, and didn't know how to deal with it. Before he'd just gone after any pretty girl, never really giving himself a chance to crush. Simon could bet Alvin had never had a real crush before.

"Simon?" he heard Dave call about ten minutes later. "You're still up?"

"Yeah," he replied, getting up to put his glass in the sink. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

"Don't apologize. Anything you want to talk about?"

"I already…I mean, Alvin was down here and we were talking until he…well, until he got mad again." Simon sighed. "I can't say it isn't partly my fault…we've both been picking at each other lately…" Dave kneeled down to hug his son.

"It'll pass. Just give it time. Most siblings go through phases where fighting gets worse from time to time. I'm sure this will blow over soon enough." Simon nodded reaching up to wrap his arms around Dave's neck, letting Dave scoop him up off the floor. "Now you need to get to bed. You have school tomorrow."


	3. Chapter 3

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Wow...Thanks for all the reviews thus-far. I really hope I don't let anyone down . I loved my story, but I've never had an audience this excited for it before... Anyway, in a later chapter I tried to write a song for the boys (of course, story-wise Dave wrote it), but the song **STUNK**. I cannot write a song to save my life. So, please my lovely fans: Give me ideas, possible lyrics, ect. Please, please, please. I need this to be able to post the story, cuz believe me, the song reeks. OH, and one thing about it: Alvin and Brittany have a solo in it, so take that into consideration.

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about it. Tell people you wouldn't expect to like it. I did. I took it to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young. Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 3:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 3

Simon backed up against the bathroom wall, trying to get away from Cal on a rampage. The day had started so simply and usual. He'd bickered with Alvin a bit after Alvin tried to get out of school again (this time he did a pretty decent job of faking a head cold), Brittany had scolded Alvin on his looks until Alvin had run ahead to school, Eleanor had ended up dragging Theodore off, leaving Jeanette to try to cheer up Simon. Well, she'd comforted him, but not much else. Halfway through class he'd snuck off to the bathroom, not being able to put up with Miss Montgomery anymore.

That's where he'd run into Cal. They bully wasn't mad at him exactly right at that moment, just irritated enough to go crazy. First he'd taken Simon's glasses and 'accidentally' broke them, then he'd gone on about how un-cool it was to be unnaturally smart. Simon had countered with how un-cool it had to be to be unnaturally dumb, and that had honed it in. For being unnaturally smart, Simon had made the dumbest move of his life. "I'm not unnaturally dumb, smarty," Cal growled, his fist back and ready.

"I-I didn't mean you …just…"

"Me. Well, smarty, let's see how unnaturally dumb this feels." Simon yelped as the fist met his face. His hand wrapped around his eye as he dropped to the ground beside his murdered glasses. "That's what I thought." As Cal went back to class and found his seat, Alvin leaned over to Theodore.

"Why is Simon taking so long?" he whispered to his youngest brother.

"Maybe he just really had to go?" Theodore replied.

"If you two are quite done," the teacher scolded, "we'll get back to our lessons."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Lunch time came around and Simon hadn't shown up, so the two brothers gathered the Chipettes and split up. Theodore was the first one who decided to check the bathroom, finding his brother still sitting against the wall, his shattered glasses at his side. "Simon! What happened?" He didn't have to ask, it was obvious, but he did anyway.

"I…" Simon started, shaking his head as he finally got to his feet.

"Here, let me help you." Simon nodded, resting his free hand on Theodore's shoulder. His little brother picked up the bent frames (leaving the glass where it was) and led Simon to the nurse before doing anything else.

"My, this is a shiner," she gasped, pulling out an ice pack for him to hold against it. "Do you want to lay down dear?"

"I'm ok, really," Simon whispered.

"That depends what point of view you take."

"I'll go tell the others that you're alright," Theodore said, running off to find Alvin. "Alvin! Cal went after Simon this morning." The girls had all met up with Alvin, and so everyone heard the news. All of a sudden, Alvin's face turned from just worry to pure anger.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"Simon didn't say…but it's sort of hard to not figure it out. Cal left, Simon left, Cal came back, and Simon didn't come back. Simon ended up with a really bad black eye and his glasses ruined…"

"What?" Theodore sighed, grabbing his brother's arm.

"You have to see for yourself." In less time than it would have taken Simon to solve an equation, they were all outside the nurse's office, peeking in as the nurse examined the bruise. She had her hand under his chin, holding his head up so she got the best view. She paused her little examination to notice the visitors.

"Welcome back," she greeted Theodore, and Simon jolted to look over at the door. "Hold still." She turned his head back, but not before he saw everyone.

"Oh Simon," Jeanette said as she hurried over to sit by him. Theodore ran to sit at his other side. Alvin tried taking deep breaths, counting to ten, and whatever else he could think of. No one hurt his brothers. No one.

"Alvin," Brittany whispered, putting her hand on his shoulder. Simon turned his head again, getting a grunt of annoyance out of the nurse.

"I'm fine," Simon tried, but his brother was at his side in a second.

"How is this fine?" Alvin finally said, pointing to the swollen eye.

"It hurts, yeah, but it'll go away with time."

"Simon!" They glared at each other for a moment as the lunch bell rang. Alvin glanced out the door.

"Don't do it."

"Someone has to."

"Don't do it Alvin."

"You won't." Alvin darted out the room. Every chipmunk crowded into the doorway as Alvin ran around the corner.

"We have to go after him."

"You're not going anywhere," the nurse tried, but Simon ignored her as he led the way after his brother. They found Alvin and Cal standing in a hall like an old western showdown. There were no teachers in sight, but the closed classroom doors signified that enough noise would get some teachers out.

"Did you hit my brother?" Alvin demanded.

"What if I did?" Cal sneered back.

"Why?"

"Because I felt like it. What do you plan to do about it? Fight me?" Alvin let out a bit of a growl. He hadn't planned this far in advance.

"No. Just talk."

"Just talk? What a little sissy boy!"

"Hey! At least I have the guts to face up to something that bothers me, instead of hiding like you do."

"When do I hide?"

"All the time. Don't think I haven't noticed. Whenever you get in a fight with your family or they forget a promise you take it out on us. I saw that happen at open house." Cal snatched Alvin up by his shirt.

"Who do you think you are to tell me how to live my life?"

"I'm telling you how you live it now, not how I want you to live it. I just want you to leave my brothers and my friends out of it."

"Just your brothers and your friends eh? What about you?" Alvin closed his eyes as Cal slammed him against the wall. Now that they were out of the middle of the hallway, Simon ran down the other side, knocking on all the doors as he went.

"What's going on?" the teachers complained as they peeked their heads out, each one seeing Cal about to beat up on Alvin.

"Busted," Alvin whispered, glancing over to his brother. As soon as he was back on the ground, Alvin pulled Simon back towards the nurse's office. "Thanks."

"I told you not to do it," Simon scolded, but lightened up. "But I'm glad you did."

"Hey. No one hurts my brothers." All the other chipmunks just followed, silent witnesses of everything that had taken place.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"He's lucky he hasn't been expelled," the principal raged behind his closed office door as Dave checked Simon out. Alvin and Theodore had to finish the school day, but Simon needed some rest (and possibly a trip to the doctor if the swelling didn't come down).

"So Alvin did all that?" Dave said as Simon summed up the story.

"Uh-huh," Simon replied with a grin. It was awkward looking, seeing Simon without any glasses and a grin that could match one of Alvin's. Dave took his son's hand (seeing as Simon was more or less blind without his glasses) and led him back to the car. "I don't think we'll be fighting much anymore, either…at least, not because of the pressure Cal is putting on us."

"That's good to hear. You're going to try talking some more?"

"Yeah. Just about Miss Montgomery though…the press and the Chipettes is another issue altogether, and it's one that sets him off every time. So I'll avoid that one for now…"

"Good idea."


	4. Chapter 4

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

I could have sworn I updated yesterday...I must have been going to update and got side tracked . Sorry guys . Well, anywho...The song I asked for help for in the last chappie (the one I wrote at least) is about how they'll always be there for each other, pretty much, and I figured since they are the Chipmunks it'd only make sense if they do an original one . The only requirement really is that you keep in mind that these guys are 9-ish...(not sure what age I said in this story, if I said at all) and that Alvin and Brittany must have a solo. It's very important for the story-line.

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about it. Tell people you wouldn't expect to like it. I did. I took it to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young. Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 3:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 4

As promised, Simon started talking to his brother as soon as Alvin got home that night. Just to clear up any left over rivalry. "Yes Simon?" Alvin said as he glared at his homework. Simon had climbed up on his bed about five minutes earlier and said nothing, so he figured he'd talk first (Theodore was downstairs working on piano lessons, seeing as he wanted to learn and he was the only brother that didn't know how to play).

"Thanks for today," was all he could say.

"Thanks for what? You still have homework because you missed the entire day…except the first hour or something like that. You never have homework." Simon laughed.

"That's because it'll be done in ten minutes or less. All of her crazy assignments…" Alvin looked up and they, once again, studied each other. Alvin had his homework in his hands and Simon was still holding an ice pack to his swollen eye.

"Look, about last night…I'm sorry I stormed off…"

"We've all got those things that irritate us. I'm just going to be more careful not to pick the things that irritate you."

"Thanks, but me and Brittany had a long talk after school on the way home."

"So that's why you were ten minutes later than Theodore. What'd you talk about?"

"Her perfection issues…"

"How did you say it?"

"I just asked her why she was always so focused on looking so perfect…"

"She got mad, didn't she?"

"Really mad. She threw the drink I bought her in my face…"

"You bought her something? That's new."

"I was trying to be nice."

"That's what the press needs to cover. Alvin Seville being nice to his arch-rival and alleged girl friend."

"Hey, we're not arch-rivals. We just have issues that we can't work out."

"Because you want to one up each other all the time. She probably wants to feel more important than you once in a while, and you can't let anyone upstage you."

"You bet I can't. If people were suddenly upstaging me all the time…"

"Not all the time. Just once in a while. So she can feel good about herself."

"Then she'll never let me live it down." Simon rubbed his chin; trying to think up some way they could let Brittany get a huge spotlight of attention without giving her means to bug Alvin about it.

"Why don't we let the Chipettes have a song to themselves?"

"They don't have very many songs. They're not like us. They haven't been building up their songs for a really long time, just two years or so. Isn't that when they first tried their own song? They only have four or five…"

"What about…No, that's a four-part song…"

"What?"

"It's a classic song Jeanette really likes. It's called You've Got a Friend, and it's either two parts or four parts…"

"Can't they just edit it for three?"

"I guess, but the concert is two weeks away. If we're going to add something, it has to be clean cut and already perfected, you know? That or easy to perfect." Simon switched hands, sick of holding the icepack with his right hand. He flinched a little bit as pain shot through his head.

"Can I see?" Alvin put his homework down, crawling closer to his brother. Simon rolled his eyes, pulling the pack away. "Wow, that's pretty bad…"

"It'll get better by tomorrow…I can't get new glasses until it gets better."

"That means no school because you wouldn't be able to see anyway, eh?"

"I guess."

"You two hungry?" Dave asked through the door. "Dinner's ready."

"We'll be there in a minute!" Alvin called. "Gah! I didn't even start my homework. Dave's gonna kill me!"

"I'll help you after dinner," Simon laughed.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Welcome back," Jeanette said three days later as she gave Simon a quick hug. "It looks a whole lot better." Simon smiled a bit as he touched the edge of his bruise. The swelling had completely gone away, but the bruise was still visible, even through his fur.

"The eye doctor had a really fun time apologizing left and right yesterday," Simon laughed.

"Your new glasses look exactly the same as your last ones," Brittany complained. "You should have upgraded to something new."

"I like my own style." Simon linked arms with Jeanette, this time walking ahead of the rest of them. "So, does everyone want to hang out after school?"

"He's a lot happier now," Eleanor whispered, amazed.

"Nah," Alvin laughed. "Just social-deprived from the last few days. He missed hanging out with everyone."

"But he had you two," Brittany said.

"Two brothers in the house isn't the same as two brothers and three friends hanging out after school."

"What's up with you? You're happier too!"

"Should we be upset?"

"No…but…did I miss something?" Brittany looked around, lost. Theodore giggled a bit as he linked arms with Eleanor and led her off. "I missed something."

"No, we just haven't told you yet," Alvin told her with a grin.

"Alvin…you're creeping me out." She backed away as he shook his head, grabbing onto her arm.

"Simon and Theodore and me have been doing a lot of talking the last two days about the concert. It can't really be called a joint concert for both of our groups if you only have two songs. So we were thinking about letting you have the closing song all to yourselves."

"You…were…" She squealed as she hugged him.

"Off, please." She kept her smile as she backed off. "The only problem is you have to have an original song perfected by the day before the concert or else you can't do it. It's the sponsor's rules. They don't like looking bad at all." He glanced over the Chipette that was clinging to his arm. He hadn't expected his news to make her that happy. Quickly, he checked the street for paparazzi. They'd never let him live this down if they saw it.

"We'll figure it out! Oh I can't wait!" Alvin caught the eyes of his two brothers watching from the street corner. Their respective Chipette was clinging to them, having just gotten the news as well. He broke the gaze, knowing that he was blushing (even if no one could see it through his fur…thank goodness for fur).

"Can you stop clinging so much?"

"Hm?" Brittany looked up at him, jumping back when she realized what she was doing. "Sorry. Excitement."

"I figured as much." He looked over at her, seeing a bit of disappointment in her face. But he shook that off, looking forward again. Another day of school. He'd gotten grounded that morning for his latest attempt at getting out of school. It wasn't because what he'd done; it was because he'd done it. Dave had grounded him for breaking the promise (numerous times now) of not trying to get out of school. But Alvin was determined to get out, one of these days. Simon got three days away from the crazy place. Now Alvin wanted a break from the pressure more than ever.

"Um…Will we get new outfits for the concert?"

"If you want. You get your own make-up crew too. But be warned: they're nuts. They seem to enjoy putting make-up on us, so who knows how nuts they'll go with you girls."

"It's to make you look better. Honestly, its how all people on stage look so perfect. I have to say you look a whole lot nicer at concerts. Of course, it looks like you've actually brushed your hair. That has to help. And do you ever wash that hat? Seriously…"

"Can you go even one day without complaining about something?"

"Not when it comes to you." She skipped ahead of him, not even waiting to hear his comeback. She didn't care. She figured that if she kept hounding him with complaints then he'd eventually become conscious of his looks and start trying to look nicer.


	5. Chapter 5

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

I'm sorry it's taking so many chapters to get to Alvin losing his voice...for the impatience in us, please note this: This story is almost 200 pages long (and I'm adding something to it to make it make more sense, maybe...). It's almost a novel...if it wasn't a fanfiction I do believe it could be a novel (of course, if these guys were mine I'd have speant the first two chapters developing their looks/personalities for everyone instead of just jumping into the story knowing everyone already knows these guys). Anyway, I'm not going to post a chapter tomorrow...and if I don't get some help with the song there won't be too many more chapters because the song is coming up fast...Just remember: Alvin and Brittany, solo nessecary.

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about it. Tell people you wouldn't expect to like it. I did. I took it to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young. Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 5:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 5

Alvin glared up out of the basement window. It just wasn't fair. Theodore was staying home now with a fever. First Simon got three days, and now Theodore was on his third day out. Why didn't anything Alvin try work? He turned away, heading off to get the clothes out of the dryer. It was his turn to do laundry again. With a grumble, he pulled his hat out of its little washing case and placed it back on his head. That was the other thing that got to him. Why was he letting Brittany get to him?

"Alvin! You're going to be late!" Dave called down. "I'll bring the clothes up, just get to school." Alvin rubbed his face, messing up his fur. His eyes still stung really bad from where he'd gotten soap in them (when he'd gotten up to take a bath in the morning instead of at night, for reasons no one else knew). He hadn't meant to get so much soap in them, and now it hurt like crazy. But that would pass. He didn't have any mirrors around to check to see if they were still bloodshot though.

"Wow you look bad," Simon said as his brother finally appeared. Alvin faked a cough, pausing with a bit of shock. That fake cough…behind it he could feel something different about his throat. And it couldn't have been the food he'd tried while out on their little publicity dinner the night before. All his foods had been normal, not the strange things Simon and Theodore (who, though sick, would never turn down an opportunity to have a special dinner) had been trying, like sushi and so on.

"My…" he started, cutting himself short. This was no time to worry about something that might or might not have any significance at all. He fake-coughed again, looking up innocently at Dave.

"Let me guess," Dave replied to the look. "You caught Theodore's sickness?"

"I don't know…It feels like it." Dave let out a little bit of a laugh, wetting down a hand towel and rubbing Alvin's eyes carefully with it.

"That should get the soap out of your eyes…don't know what to say about what you did to your face though."

"Brittany's not going to be too happy about how you look today," Simon warned. Alvin just glared at his family.

"Just one day, is that to much to ask?" he complained.

"You get the weekends, and any school holiday," Dave told him. "Just don't go actually getting sick just to get out of school, ok? Not only will you be miserable then, but you'll be grounded for two months." Alvin growled a bit. "As for right now…This is actually sort of educational for me. I feel a bit like a detective." Dave was acting like he was playing a part in a play, walking around and waving his arms a bit. Finally, though, he came back to his normal self. "Get to school, ok? Have a nice day."

"Come on!" Brittany complained as the brothers walked out the door. "Honestly, we should have left ten minutes ago, but I decided to wait on you. I mean, Eleanor even went in to see how Theodore's doing and came back out. Can you be any slower?"

"Yeah, I could!" Alvin snapped back, but his comeback was ignored. Brittany had pulled out her brush again and was smoothing over the fur on his face.

"I'm so glad I don't have to worry about fur like yours."

"Do you even have fur?"

"It's so short you can't even tell. But it does give me a nice glow, don't you think?"

"Not really."

"You would say that. You have no fashion sense."

"Apparently I don't need your fashion sense to be famous and well-loved by just about everyone."

"If you improve your image, that will go from 'just about' to just 'everyone'."

"And if I look better, you look better. You look better, the Chipettes look better…"

"Can we not fight today?" Eleanor complained. "Honestly. Theodore is sick with a fever and all you two can talk about is your own petty problems!"

"How is he?" Jeanette asked, trying to turn the conversation.

"Dave said his fever is coming down," Simon told them. "If he keeps up like he is he'll be back to school tomorrow."

"He really seemed to feel a lot better when I went up to talk to him," Eleanor added. "But definitely still sick. He's still coughing and all that."

"So have you girls picked out your song yet?" Alvin cut back in. There was a bit of glaring, but they picked up on the new conversation.

"We've been working on a few," Jeanette told him. Brittany was still in a bad mood, content to not talk to Alvin for the rest of the walk to school.

"The concert is this weekend." Alvin tried to clear his throat a bit. It was feeling really odd right then. "We have to call in and tell them so they can get ready for it, you know? We've already said you're doing a song, but they want to know what one and how it sounds."

"When's the latest we can sing it for them?"

"Thursday…right?"

"That's what I heard," Simon agreed, watching his brother closely. He was the only one that had paid any attention to the fact that Alvin had been clearing his throat and coughing more often. Either he actually was getting sick, or he was really getting into his lies. Either way, he decided that he needed to keep a close eye on Alvin.

"We'll have it," Brittany finally spoke. "Set us up tonight then…Today is Wednesday, isn't it?"

"Yes. And we can't just set you up…"

"Isn't that what you always do?"

"No…"

"Brittany," Eleanor interrupted. "They'll handle it. They know the way that whole thing works better than we do, they'll get us in. They promised us the song and they're not just going to go back on their word."

"I know…" the oldest Chipette replied. "I'm just so excited! National TV, watching just us. Not us as the Chipmunks featuring the Chipettes, not us as the Chipmunks' Dates…just the Chipettes. Finally our big debut! Alvin…is there something wrong with your throat or something?" Finally someone else noticed that he kept trying to clear it. "You better not get sick before this weekend. Or during the weekend for that matter."

"Didn't know you were that excited to go on a date with me," he joked back. She glared for a second, but quickly turned her nose up to the air.

"Just don't embarrass anyone Saturday."

"Oh brother," Jeanette groaned. "Will they ever quit it?"

"Not a chance," Simon said, shaking his head. "They're personalities clash too much."

"I think they might have a chance," Eleanor sighed. "If something tragic were to happen to one of them that is. Then they'd probably have to admit how much they really care for each other because they'd be sick with worry and all that."

"But after they got better this would probably get worse."

"How much worse could it get? They already fight worse than…well, worse than you and Alvin were fighting for the last couple months." Simon laughed a little, nodding in agreement.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"How you feeling?" Alvin asked his baby brother after school, hopping up on the bed with a package in his arms.

"I'm a whole lot better now," Theodore replied cheerfully, holding back a sneeze.

"I bought some of your favorite cookies."

"What do you want?"

"Me? Want something? Theodore. I'm hurt. You're sick, so I brought you a get-well present. Can't a brother do that much?" Theodore looked Alvin over carefully, finally extending his arm to accept the gift. He could smell that they were fresh baked and he didn't want them to get cold. Warm, fresh cookies…Alvin knew how to bribe him.

"Thank you." He reached out to hug Alvin, but his brother shrank away. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to risk getting sick before the big concert."

"Alvin doesn't want to get sick?" Simon asked in the doorway. "Did I miss something? I mean…isn't it Alvin that's always trying to get out of school?"

"Hey, I'll succeed one day. Either Dave'll get tired of my begging and give me a break or…"

"Or you'll actually get sick and be completely miserable for all the days you get off. So what do you want Theodore to do now?"

"Honestly! Doesn't anyone think I can do something nice just to be a good brother?" Alvin rolled his eyes, glancing out the window. In truth he just wanted to butter his brothers up so they wouldn't be too sore if he lost his voice on Saturday. He'd only lost his voice once before in his life…and that week was a booked week. But if he couldn't sing the show couldn't go on…so everything was cancelled. If that happened here, he just knew they would be angry first, worried later. Especially after all he'd been doing lately.

"Alvin, you don't do things just to 'be a good brother.' You usually have a plan for something bigger later. But I suppose cookies are better than two packages of gum." Alvin rolled his eyes, hopping down from Theodore's bed. "Theodore, are you going to be ok for Saturday?"

"Yeah," Theodore replied. "I'm just sneezing and coughing now. That should be gone in the next day or two."

"That's good…Alvin, I wouldn't try that if I were you." Alvin was coughing again, and Simon was now set that it was just Alvin trying to get a four or five day weekend out of Dave. After all, if any of them seemed to be getting worse, not better, then they'd be out of school for the rest of the week when it was this close to a concert.

"I think I just need a drink," Alvin replied, rubbing his neck. There was no denying it…he felt strange. For a moment, he was tempted to ask Simon what 'unknown side-effects' of that potion could possibly be. But that would be a dead give-away of what he'd done. He felt really stupid now from the whole thing, but he'd been desperate. Still was, but with the concert closer he'd lessoned his efforts.

"Then why don't you go get one?"

"Eh…I…Never mind. So…Did Jeanette say what song they were doing?"

"She said they were going to make it a surprise."

"That's what Brittany said. How do they plan on us not hearing it before the concert though? I mean…it's not like they can tell anyone what to do yet. They're pretty much still mostly unknown to the world."

"But they can still tell us what to do."

"We don't have to listen." Simon rolled his eyes. He, for one, didn't mind the Chipettes surprising them. But Alvin was probably curious enough to try anything to hear the song.

"Just don't get hurt."

"Huh?"

"Just don't get hurt trying to find out what it is." Alvin glared as Simon stuck his nose in another book. Alvin had no intention of doing anything to find out the song, he just didn't want to find out that Brittany had put something against him in it.

"Fellas!" Dave called up, and Simon grumbled as he put his book down. "Did you forget what today is?"

"Apparently…" Simon rubbed his chin, a light clicking. "We have to check out the stage and go through our songs…the ones without the Chipettes. Then Friday we run the whole thing, finishing what we don't get done Friday on Saturday morning…"

"You sound like a robot," Alvin scolded. "Just repeating exactly what you heard." They jumped as Dave opened their door.

"Theodore?" he asked, going over to sit on the edge of the youngest brother's bed. "You feel up to running through your songs?"

"Yeah," he replied with a smile. "Let's go!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Well, I guess I was wrong about how soon the song showed up. The first half of it is in this chapter (you'll see why the whole thing isn't when you get to it). And I have Charismaticbreeze to thank for the lyrics. She wrote an original song, I tweaked it a bit to fit into the story, and she gave suggestions to fix that up. I think the song is much much better now, and I could actually see them actually singing something like this, maybe. Well, our lovely 80s chipmunks would...the 2007 ones would probably have issues with it. I really dislike those ones...they just weren't that great or memorable in any special way. They were just...well, singing rodents that were adorable for an hour or so until the movie ended, and then it's just like 'alright, those were the new chipmunks...whooo. not.' Sorry for those of you that love them...I'm too hardcore 80s/90s (strange, considering I'm not old enough to really remember them as well as I wish I could, I'm just rediscovering them now...thanks to the movie that I've found that I dislike after really getting back into the Chipmunks...so as a movie it was great, for the Chipmunks it stunk).

Anywho...Geeze, I started ranting and forgot what I was gonna say...I hope this was it: I never thought I'd have to say it for this story, seeing as so many people seemed interested in this story, but pleeeeeeeeeze (notice I mis-spelled please in my desperation) review. I love reading reviews on my story. The other chapters didn't have any problem with reviews, but the last chapter was sort of lacking...so I'll beg in this chapter and hope I never have to beg again. Begging isn't dignified...of course, it isn't beneath me. (Gets on knees and begs everyone to review.)

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about it. Tell people you wouldn't expect to like it. I did. I took it to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young. Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 6:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 6

The first practice went fine, and Alvin seemed to have given up on cutting school completely the last two days. At least, he didn't ask to be let out. Everyone that saw him felt he was taking on a new tactic. The whole throat clearing and coughing was a giveaway that something was up. Dave made sure to check for a fever Saturday morning, just in case. "I don't have a fever, I know that much," Alvin said as he looked up at his dad.

"So it's just been a little irritated?" Dave asked. "It's probably because the weather is getting colder. Early, but the weatherman said the cold front from Canada is big enough that it's reaching down this far…Anyway, hurry up and get ready. The Chipettes will be here any minute." Alvin pulled his pajamas off as Dave left, glancing over at his two brothers. Even Theodore was giving him suspicious looks.

"It'll never work you know," Simon scolded. "You're not going to get an extra day off school Monday."

"I'm just worried about getting through today," Alvin replied. "If anything goes wrong, will you sing my leads?" Simon growled a bit. Alvin was losing it! Had he actually convinced himself that he was getting sick?

"Alvin! Nothing will go wrong. You're perfectly fine."

"Uh-huh. You heard my voice cracking yesterday, and the water didn't help one bit, and we're still too young…"

"I know! It's probably just nervousness."

"Nervous? We've done this a million times! And we've been on national TV at least four or five times already. This is nothing new."

"But it's our second joint concert on TV with the Chipettes, our first joint concert with them on national TV, and the first time we've let them have a whole song to themselves. And you still haven't figured out what song it is. Does that cover everything?"

"And this is our first concert since the paparazzi have been crazy about out relationships with the Chipettes," Theodore added.

"There, see? Nervousness. That's all there is to it." Alvin rolled his eyes. Sure. He was just nervous about the concert. Of course…he still couldn't ask about the potion. He coughed once more, pulling his hat on.

"I hope you're right Simon, I really do," Alvin sighed. "Come on. The Chipettes will freak out if we take too long. Of course, Brittany will freak out anyway…" He rolled his eyes at the thought, skipping down the stairs and straight to the hairbrush. Brittany always had that handy to touch-up how he looked.

"There you go," she said with a smile as she finished.

"We're going to be late," Dave warned, hurrying them all to the car. He came close to speeding to get them to the concert hall on time. Even getting there that quickly was too slow for their choreographer.

"You are late!" he scolded. "Hurry up, come along. We have to show you your dressing rooms. They finally finished getting them ready for you. After that we'll pick up where we left off last night. What song was it…That Rock and Roll one?"

"We finished that," Simon tried to say. "We were moving on to…"

"We'll start with that. There was something off about the dance anyway." The boys growled, and Dave had to put a hand on Alvin and Simon's shoulders to try to calm them down. They didn't much like being handled (handled meaning being ignored even though they were supposedly the most important people around at the moment).

"Dressing rooms…" Brittany said, stars in her eyes as they walked through the backstage. She hadn't seen this part the previous night. "Everyone gets their own?"

"Everyone. Why would it be any other way?"

"Well, we've always just been grouped together and given one dressing room before…"

"Tsk. Those were smaller performances. It's only proper for everyone to have their own in a performance as big as this. Hurry up now. We have a lot to do this morning. The press and fans will be lining up by three…"

"The concert isn't until seven," Eleanor interrupted, and Theodore linked arms with her.

"Don't bother interrupting him," he whispered. "He won't hear you anyway."

"You six will be having dinner at that uptown French restaurant. I trust that you two smarter ones can understand French?"

"Clearly," Simon piped up on cue. Alvin and Brittany growled quietly at the mention of them not being that smart, even if they weren't as smart as Simon or Jeanette.

"Put on a good show for the press. They'll be trying to get in at every crack, so no mishaps. Popularity is eighty percent what the paparazzi can do for you, or against you. Remember that."

"We know. You've been telling us that for two months."

"Ever since I became your choreographer. And I plan to keep telling you so you don't ever ignore it." Dave was fed up with him, but this guy was great at keeping the boys focused while learning their dances. No one else had ever managed that. Of course, before they had mostly put it together on their own. That sometimes took months, and now it only took a week or so to get it worked out.

"Are these the Chipettes?" some girl asked.

"The only ones."

"Who are you?" Brittany asked.

"I am the manager of your make-up crew. Well, of both make-up crews, but I'll mostly be working with you dears." She snapped her fingers and three more girls appeared. "You know what to do ladies."

"We have to get to…" the choreographer started.

"This will take but a minute. These girls will pick out the make-up necessary for tonight, but they need to know what they're working with. Everyone has a different complexion." The boys stood back with their arms crossed as the three make-up artists each examined a girl.

"Hey fellas," yet another girl said, giving them a quick hug. "Long time no see."

"You saw us a month ago," Theodore said.

"Who's she?" Eleanor asked.

"One of our make-up artists."

"Boys need make-up?" Eleanor and Jeanette giggled.

"Just a little touch to add to the glow," the artist said. "I'm Tiff. Today I get Alvin." She smiled, snatching up his hat so she could ruffle his hair.

"Hey!" Brittany complained. "I spent a lot of time fixing that hair."

"Oh, sorry. Don't worry though. It'll be fixed up again before the show." Tiff laughed as she gave Alvin his hat back, leaning down to whisper to him. "A bit touchy, isn't she?"

"You have no idea," he whispered back.

"That's enough," the crew manager said, with another snap of her fingers. "Come along. We have to get everything in order." Just like that, all the girls hurried off.

"They sure do work quickly," Jeanette said.

"They have to," Simon explained. "We've been known to be a bit…late at times. So they've learned to work quickly to make sure we get on the air on time."

"All of them?"

"They've all worked with us before. The one that's going to be looking after you usually signs up for me." He smiled, but was quickly pulled away from Jeanette. Their choreographer opened each dressing room door, showing each chipmunk their room. The girls all squealed, the boys were used to it. But it was still impressive, all the same.

"Now that that's done," he started, "let's go take it from the top of Rock'n'Roll."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Come on!" the choreographer complained. "Look, you know I adore you guys, but this is the third time we've done this. Can't you get it right just once?"

"We're trying!" Alvin shouted back. "We're just kids. What more do you want from us?" He swallowed a cough from erupting from his neck. Doing the same song over and over again was making his throat even worse.

"Calm down," Dave demanded of the choreographer. "Give them a break."

"A break? I'll give them a break when they do the song right. I know good and well that none of you want to go up there and make fools of yourselves, and I'm not going to let you do a song if you can't do it perfectly."

"It's our call in the end weather we do a song or not." The choreographer turned to Dave, the two of them engaging in a stare off.

"One more time. If they don't get it right, I'll leave it in your hands." Dave looked up to the kids, and they all nodded. They were standing on the staircase that had been set up for their show. At the top was a platform, and there was a stairway down the back as well as the front so they could enter and exit that way. There were also two more two that wound around on the right and left that were for symmetry during their songs. When the girls were on one side, the boys could be on the other.

The music started playing, the girls stood at the foot of the right set of stairs while the boys stood at the top of the left set. This song was experimental to begin with, seeing as Dave had just been playing around with an idea two months earlier. When they'd asked the Chipettes, though, the girls were more than excited to sing it with them.

So the music brought them running either down or up the stairs, depending on where they'd begun. Once the Chipettes were on the platform, the Chipmunks split up and each took a different staircase up. Alvin in the middle, of course, and Simon and Theodore on either side. Right before they started up, they started singing.

"There are days when I feel blue,

Dark and dull, but what can I do?

On those days the sun won't shine,

You lift my spirits with your simple smile,

Even if our friendship can be a trial..."

The girls picked up singing with them, stepping down their respective staircase to meet the boys somewhat in the middle of the stairs.

"O, yeah.

But when our hope is gone,

You help us hold on.

When we feel small or lost or full of fear,

You're always right here."

The boys crossed their arms, standing a few steps above the girls so the Chipettes could have their little solo.

"From Paris, Athens, Cairo,

Switzerland and Germany,

All our travels all around,

You're the friends we need."

Brittany skipped up a couple stairs, pulling on Alvin's arm while the other four sang the next part.

"You're always by my side,

You turn our darkness into light.

You know that it's true,

We'd be so lost if we lost you…"

Brittany and Alvin reached the top, spinning around as the spotlight dimmed on everyone else and hit them.

"When all the sweet has gone sour,

When all the dreams have faded away,

Oh, I don't know what I'd do;

I'd be so lost if I lost you…"

They went to leap to the pillars that had been built in just for this song. As their feet touched, however, and the light-man turned on the Technicolor lights, Alvin's pillar shook. Brittany cut off the next line at the first word as Alvin tumbled off the pillar (down into the decoration below, rolling down the smooth hill-like flower bed as the pillar fell the other direction).

"Alvin!" Dave yelped, jumping up on the stage and getting to his son in what seemed to be one step. "Alvin, are you ok?"

"Yeah…" the chipmunk said, trembling a bit before breaking into a small coughing fit. He'd been lucky he hadn't fallen on the stairs. He'd rolled all the way down to the stage. A fall like that on the stairs probably would have broken something.

"Alvin!" the rest were yelling as they reached his side.

"I'm fine, really…" He went to stand up, toppling back over at first. Simon was the first to his side to help him up.

"You sure?" he asked, letting Alvin use him as a crutch.

"No. But I hope so." He flinched as he put weight on his leg.

"What's wrong?"

"I think I just need a break…but I'll be fine. Maybe a little sore…" Simon let go, and Dave caught him as he almost fell again.

"I think we know the songs well enough to give you three a break until tonight," he decided. "Girls, do you want to run over your song real fast?"

"Sure," Brittany said, staring at Alvin. He seemed a bit disappointed, in a way. But it wasn't disappointment exactly…more like…worry, fear, or something along those lines. Dave carried him off the stage, the brothers following close behind.

"Alright girls," the choreographer said emotionlessly. "We'll do your song."

"Don't you feel anything? Alvin might have just gotten seriously hurt!" Her sister stared at her in wonder and admiration as the man rolled his eyes, waving to someone from a crew that was just sitting around.

"Call in a doctor to make sure Alvin isn't hurt. Now, from the top girls."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Alvin couldn't help but cough as he held the ice against the back of his head. The doctor said that he'd be good to go for the show, but he'd definitely need plenty of rest afterwards. Nothing was broken or even sprained, but his right ankle wasn't looking to great. The doctor had wrapped it for support, but that was all he could do. On top of that, his head was pounding.

"What about that cough?" Dave asked, stopping the doctor from leaving.

"Hm?" The doctor turned back around, irritated to be spending his afternoon off looking after what he thought was just another spoiled star. "Fine…But that will cost you extra."

"That's alright…" Dave looked at the guy in wonder. Should he care about the cost? Obviously this guy didn't have kids. Alvin was just fed up with the doctor altogether. He fought the guy all the way, no matter what his family said. "Well?"

"He's probably just catching a cold. Like I said, he'll be fine for the concert, I can't see anything too wrong…it just looks a little irritated. Don't be too surprised if he loses his voice sometime next week. Now, if you'll excuse me…" He quickly scribbled down the bill, waiting impatiently as Dave pulled out the money.

"So we're not allowed to finish going over our songs then," Simon said with a bit of a laugh as he climbed up on the arm Alvin's comfy chair. They all had one in their dressing rooms so they could sit down for a few minutes during breaks and after the show. Just like TV stars. "And sorry. I guess you weren't just nervous about the show."

"Thanks," Alvin replied, gulping down the water that was sitting nearby for him. He sighed, letting his icepack slide down to his shoulder. He was really getting tired of holding it. No sooner had it fallen, though, then Dave picked it back up and placed it back on his head.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"I've been better. I have a splitting headache now."

"I'd imagine. You're so lucky."

"Here," Theodore said, taking the empty water glass and refilling it. Alvin quickly gulped that one down too. He was getting thirstier every minute. At least he was feeling less like he needed to cough. As he set his glass down, he looked at his hat sitting on the stand. He couldn't wear it right now, and it felt weird not wearing it in the middle of the day. He always had it on.

"Just take it easy. Remember, if you feel terrible we don't have to do the concert…"

"Yeah we do!" Alvin interrupted. "The show must always go on. The whole world would be upset if we cancelled now." Dave laughed, shaking his head.

"Canceling is a last resort then…If you don't feel up to something though…"

"I'll tell everyone ahead of time and Simon and Jeanette can take the lead."

"We can what?" Simon interrupted flatly. "Alvin…You should probably ask Jeanette before deciding that."

"You both know all the words and all the steps…I know you can handle it."

"But Jeanette, believe it or not, gets stage fright every now and then. Sure, local concerts and a solo sometimes she can handle…but this is national TV. And that's a really important solo. If even one note is off…"

"Just play like that's how it was supposed to go. Give her a chance Simon. Geeze. You get so protective sometimes."


	7. Chapter 7

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Hmm..I almost posted chapter 8 instead of 7. Now wouldn't that be just awful? Skipping this whole part of the story...especially this part! This is probably the most important part! Well, one of the most important parts. Please, enjoy...and don't make me beg for more reviews. You already know I'm not above begging, but I still don't like it.

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about it. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young. Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 7:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 7

"Be careful," Brittany hissed into Alvin's ear. They had their arms linked and were grinning for the cameras outside after dinner. If it hadn't been hard enough getting scolded for everything he did while eating, she was now scolding him to make sure he didn't start limping at all.

"Brittany," he hissed back. "I'm fine. In case you haven't noticed, I haven't been limping all day."

"Yes you have. Here and there, just a couple steps, but you've been doing it. Does it really bother you?"

"No. It's just…irritating."

"Over here!" some photographer called. They spun around with pure smiles. Brittany leaned her head on his shoulder, getting a perfectly cute picture for the papers the next morning. "A group shot please!" Without letting their smiles flinch, the six crowded together. "Beautiful! You kids are so photogenic."

"We're going to be late," Simon hissed through his perfect smile. "There will be enough of this to worry about once we get to the concert hall. Can we just get in the limo?"

"Can we even get to the limo?" Alvin replied. They didn't have body guards, no one would think they'd need body guards. That left some of the people hired by their sponsors to shove back the crowds. They'd also been assured that there'd be cops hanging around outside the concert hall, so it made them wonder why the cops weren't helping here too.

"We can handle this," Brittany decided for them

"We?" Eleanor asked her sister, rolling her eyes. She stepped forward in an attempt to convince people to let them through. "I hope you enjoy our show tonight," she called, "but for anyone to enjoy it, we really have to actually get there…so if you don't mind…"

"Thank you," Theodore added when the people moved. Alvin and Simon stared for a moment, but then pulled their respective Chipette along to the limo.

"That's one way to get things done," Simon complimented. "So…Jeanette, did Alvin ever ask you about taking the leads if he can't?"

"What?" Brittany instantly spat. It was a good thing they were in the limo. Her sweet, innocent smile had completely disappeared. "Alvin…you didn't tell me about this…"

"Or me," Jeanette whispered.

"I was…getting to it…" Alvin tried, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I feel a whole lot better now, so I didn't think that would come up again. But, yeah, if I can't for any reason do any of my solos, then Simon would have to take them. And since Jeanette is paired with Simon, not Brittany, it would only make sense for Jeanette to take the part too." Brittany growled.

"When did you come up with this brilliant plan?" she asked.

"This morning. When my head felt like someone had hacked it open with an axe." Now the cops were running around to get people out of the limo's way, pushing everyone back onto the sidewalk as the driver crept his way down the road. It was a good thing they were only 15 minutes away normal driving. It took almost 45 minutes to get there with all the fans. The reporters attacked as soon as the kids were out of the limo.

"They don't have any dignity," Dave complained as the cops and the hired hands tried to push the lot back. He hurried the kids towards their rooms. "It's sad how we need that many people to keep them from swamping you guys."

"We can handle them." Dave laughed a little as he gave Alvin a gentle push into his room.

"Not tonight. If you took the time to handle them, you'd never get on stage. Hurry up and get ready. You've got fifteen minutes…you guys are getting quicker you know."

"Wow, seven whole minutes more than last time!" Tiff complimented from inside the room. Dave nodded, pulling the door shut. This night was bound to go off without a hitch. So far everything had been perfect, since the accident that morning at least. He figured they'd gotten past all the bad spells already, what with Cal and Theodore's cold and their stuffy choreographer. Things could only get better.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"You're sure you can handle the leads?" Simon asked before they were due back on stage. The intermission was for them more than anyone else, so they could sit back and just rest for a few minutes.

"I feel better than I've felt in, well, weeks," Alvin lied, glancing over towards Brittany. Besides, if he didn't do the lead, she'd hack his head off with the first sharp object she found. This was her time to sparkle and shine, and she wasn't going to be too happy giving it up to her clumsy younger sister.

"Quiet now!" rang through their earphones. The mikes were going on, that meant the only things that came out of their mouths were the planned words. As the announcer called everyone back because 'the Chipmunks were ready to finish the show,' they climbed the back stairs to get to their platform. It was no wonder everyone seemed to think they were brats, the way the announcer announced them.

The lights nearly blinded them as they stepped up top, so they instantly diverted their eyes to the girls. The cheering fans weren't out of their sights, though, and the people in the front row were grabbing at the stage, hoping to get a chance to jump up on the stage. But the fans weren't going to be a problem. They knew their boundaries. Although the reporters were guessing on one thing that might make the boys slip up: how beautiful the girls looked. The make-up crew had certainly done their job, giving the girls nothing less than perfection for this performance.

"Have fun out there," they heard Dave's voice whisper through their earphones as the pre-recorded instrumental began, as did their dance. The dance went along perfectly with the song, putting their choreographer at ease. He still wasn't convinced they could do the song, but they were pulling it off. Then came the part that had messed up before. Everyone had made sure that the pillars were bolted down, even going so far as having the strongest guys on set ram into them to make sure they wouldn't even jiggle. Now it was time for the solo once again.

"When all the sweet has gone sour,

When all the dreams have faded away,

Oh, I don't know what I'd do;

I'd be so lost if I lost you…"

The Technicolor lights came on as they struck their poses on their pillars. The lights framing them perfectly, they turned with their stage-smiles larger than ever.

"You're always by my side,

You turn my darkness into light..."

Brittany tried her hardest not to glare as Alvin's voice cracked a little on 'into light'. No time to worry though. The others were up on the railing on either side of their respective sibling, helping them down in a way that fit in with the dance.

"Know that always down the road,

You'll have a place in this heart of mine."

They all centered around Alvin and Brittany again, their dance having taken them down to the center stage. It was Brittany's turn for some lines that were hers alone, her biggest spotlight yet. No one knew if she'd planned a bigger spotlight during the Chipette's song, but they could only hope she'd shared enough of it with her sisters.

"And you're the only ones who stay

When my nit-picking drives others away…"

Now it was Alvin's turn to glare. She'd changed her lines, even if she had hit all the same notes. But his glare faded fast. He had some lines of his own to pull off before they could finish the song, and that horrible sinking feeling was back again. He really wished he could just push Simon forward and make his brother sing them for him.

"When loving life becomes a chore,

You know I need you even more.

Oh, I don't know what I'd do;

I'd be so lost if I lost you…"

Every note scratched out like nails on a chalkboard. It hurt, it burned, and he felt like he was going to be sick. Not only that, but he had no doubts that everyone else felt like they were going to be sick just from hearing it. Around him, the others chorused out the last lines, melodically finishing the song, but he could only stare straight out in horror. As the song ended, he felt his brothers' hands on his back and heard what seemed like a million voices speaking all at once through the ear piece. He could pick out Dave's voice, and the choreographer's, but he couldn't understand a thing anyone was saying.

"Your mike is off!" one person said above the others. "Try talking, see if you can." He glanced around at everyone watching him. Even the audience was silent, waiting to see what was going to happen.

"Simon, I guess you should have taken the lead," he scratched out. His voice was a nightmare. Not only that, but talking made his throat hurt like crazy and burn like it was on fire. "Girls, take over. The second half is yours. I can't sing." He sounded so calm but he looked so terrified as he bolted off the side.

"Alvin!" Brittany shouted after him, jolting back as her voice echoed through the room. Her mike, apparently, hadn't been turned off. Stupid move on the sound crew.

"Don't worry, we'll look after him," Simon said, cringing as he found that his mike wasn't turned off yet either. He quickly signaled to the sound booth to kill the mikes before grabbing onto Theodore and running after the oldest chipmunk. They ran into Dave on their way out, and he paused to unhook them from their headsets. He already had Alvin's, so they assumed Alvin had just pulled it off himself and thrown it down.

"Did you see which way he went?" their dad asked. "He wasn't in his dressing room." The two brothers glanced around. "This place is huge, he could be anywhere." Theodore thought he caught a glimpse of red and chased it around a corner. Alvin wasn't fast enough to disappear down the other end of that hall that quickly…Simon appeared at his side, glancing around and doing all the math to pick the right door.

"This one," Simon finally decided, turning the latch and peeking in. "Alvin?" He hurried into the over-sized closet (a room for spare props that didn't quite fit in the main prop room), running to his brother's side. It wasn't hard to tell that the oldest Chipmunk was crying, and he was doing a terrible job of trying to hide it. "I'm really really sorry I didn't believe you. If we'd gotten you to the doctor earlier in the week, then maybe…"

"It's not your fault," Alvin's voice scratched back. "I could have just waited until the next break for a day off school, but no. I had to go and try to get out every day. I wouldn't ever believe me again."

"Well, you know what they say about the boy who cried wolf. When the wolf actually came around, no one listened because they were sick of being tricked. Learned your lesson yet?"

"Yeah." They glanced back at the door where Dave and Theodore were waiting. Helping Alvin up, Simon made his way back to their family. "Do you think the doctor is still in?"

"Not this late," Dave sighed. "But the hospital is always an option, and it would probably be a good idea to get you checked out as soon as possible." He kneeled down, looking into Alvin's eyes. They showed embarrassment more than anything else.

"Seville sirs?" a timid messenger-person whispered as he slipped down the hall. "They want to know what to say on the stage. The girls are doing a good job winging it, but everyone is worried…and the press is going to eat us alive if we don't tell them something."

"Tell them we're going to the hospital to get this checked out, and not to bother us while Alvin's getting better so he can get better."

"Of course, sorry for bothering you."

"Not a problem." Dave led them back to their dressing rooms, leaving them with instructions to change into their normal clothes so they'd be more comfortable during their late night trip to the hospital. While they did that, he went to find a payphone to warn Miss Miller that she'd need to pick the girls up from the concert, just in case she wasn't watching it. All he knew was that she had an awful head cold and hadn't been able to come in person (which had crushed the girls a little, but had also convinced them to do that much better for her sake).

Even with that pause, they still managed to get to the hospital within thirty minutes. They all took in the sights of the dull room as they waited for the doctor. The nurse had all done the normal necessary tests (temperature, blood pressure, and all those sort) and had assured them that Dr. Dell would be in shortly.

"Nate!" they heard a nurse outside complaining. "I have no idea where to find her, especially this late at night. Why don't you take the pie yourself? After all, she's practically your kid!"

"Tammy," the deeper voice of who they hoped was going to be Alvin's doctor replied, "I'm on shift, and I have a patient. Besides, I've taken you to her usual spot before anyway. She's bound to be there, and if she's not you can just leave the pie on her table."

"The table? That's covered in that mess she calls science. Why don't you just get over your childish guilt and ask her to move in with you? It's the least you can do for the poor kid."

"Tammy…just go. You know coconut's her favorite, so don't delay getting her that pie. Poor kid is probably getting sick from lack of fruit already."

"Mark my words Nate, one of these days something's going to happen to her and you're going to have fifty times as much guilt because you'll be guilty for not taking her in." They heard the heels of the nurse clicking as she stormed down the hallway, and jumped a little as the doctor came in.

"Sorry, I fight with my cousin a lot. What can I say? She's like a baby sister to me, literally." He smiled as he shook Dave's hand. "I'm Dr. Nathanial Dell, in case you haven't guessed. Pleased to meet you, just not under these conditions." It took him maybe five seconds to be over at Alvin's side, checking the Chipmunk out. He started rattling off notes to himself at speeds none of them could keep up with. It was gibberish to them, even Simon. This was one language he hadn't mastered: Doctor Chatspeak. It was very likely that Dr. Dell was the only person in the world who spoke it, too.

"Well?" Dave asked when the doctor appeared to be done.

"Well, you won't like what I have to say, I think. I have an idea of what's happening, but it's curious how it could happen. I want to see firsthand though, and that means, yes, the ever popular mini-camera. A tad uncomfortable, but incredibly helpful in situations like these for a close up, first hand look."

"Isn't that what those CAT-scan things are for?" The boys couldn't help but snicker at Dave.

"Sir! Those scan things?" The doctor pretended to be insulted, but quickly shook it off with a laugh of his own. "Actually, I don't like those much, radiation and all. Besides, I know what's going on, I just don't know the extent of it. If it's better than I think, then we can just give him some medicine and forbid him from speaking for a couple weeks."

"Weeks?" Alvin finally exploded.

"Yes, weeks. For your health. That is, if you want to sing on stage again anytime soon." Alvin shut up instantly.

"You said if it's better than you think," Simon spoke up instead. "What happens if it's exactly as you think or worse?" The doctor gave him a true, shut-up glare, which sent a chill down Simon's spine. He knew. With that one look, he could tell. Surgery, or possibly even an irreversible condition Alvin would have to cope with forever.

"It's almost midnight…do you want me to finish this up tonight or do you want to come back in tomorrow?"

"We might as well find out what's going to happen tonight," Dave decided, wrapping his arm around Alvin. The poor kid looked like his eyes were going to fall out of their sockets.

"Well then, if you'll wait, I'll have the nurses get everything set up.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

The doctor was rubbing the side of his face, his eyes wrought with worry as he looked at the screen. "This is awful," he grumbled. Theodore was clinging to his oldest brother and Simon had his hand on Alvin's shoulder. It did look awful. "And see, there's the problem." The doctor smiled a little, letting out a sigh of relief. "We can fix this…but…Mr. Seville, can we talk for a few minutes?"

"Sure," Dave replied, following the doctor out.

"It can't be terrible if he can fix it," Theodore whispered.

"But he said he didn't know what would cause this," Simon grumbled, glancing at his brother. Alvin wouldn't even look at him. "Alvin, you know what caused it, don't you?" The oldest brother nodded. "I guess asking won't make you tell, will it?"

"I think it's that potion of yours," scratched out in reply. Simon paused, pushing his glasses up on his nose as he took in what his brother had just said. When Alvin finally glanced over at him, he cracked up.

"Alvin, the other cause I figured out for that thing was that it relieved sore throats, for a price. It would make whoever drank it get a fever first, but then it would soothe the throat. I figured that out when I went over my notes. I accidentally put in…well, an ingredient instead of the one I meant to put in. Believe me, that is not the cause of this." Alvin smiled a little, trying hard not to laugh along with his brother.

"So we don't know what happened then," Theodore sighed.

"That's ok. He said he can fix it, so we don't have so much to worry about."

"Why would they be talking outside if there was nothing to worry about?" Alvin snapped. They could hear the lie in Simon's voice. He was trying to believe that the fix wasn't complicated, but he couldn't even convince himself. The lie was a miserable one.

"Ok, well, I think…we'll just have to…wait for the doctor…" He sighed with relief as the doctor opened the door again. Dave came in first, and the two younger brothers got out of the way so he could give Alvin one of those wonderful fatherly hugs.

"Dr. Dell says that it is fixable," Dave explained, sitting on the edge of the table so he could keep his arm around his son. "But the longer we wait the worse this will get, even if he gives you some medicine and you don't talk for, well, a really long time. He says the only way we can fix this is through surgery." He felt Alvin tense up against his side, and he looked around at the brothers. Theodore's eyes were wide with shock; Simon was kicking the ground as he refused to look at anyone. He'd guessed the outcome already. "But it's not terrible, really. You'll have your voice back, full strength, in just over a month, he thinks."

"And you should be able to talk, at least a little bit, as soon as the stitches come out," the doctor added. "Not to sound cold, but the sooner we do this the better. If you want me to be the surgeon, it has to be Monday. Then you'll be here in the hospital until Wednesday, and you'll get your stitches out the following Wednesday. You can go back to school as early as that Thursday, if you feel up to it." Alvin had tuned them out after the word 'surgery.' He was a kid! Things like that didn't happen to kids, at least not kids like him.

"Hey," Simon said, shaking his brother's shoulder a bit. Alvin hadn't noticed his younger brothers come over. "What's with the long face? Alvin! You've got two brothers to help you get through this. Everything's going to be fine." Alvin looked up at the two, a grin peeking across his face. The two of them looked just as worried as he was. This was going to be a piece of cake, just so long as they were there for him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Starting with this chapter, I'm going to be putting links for the songs on my profile. But that's only for the songs I have links for, and the one in this chapter does have a link. Oh, and there's more Alvin Show references in this chapter, this time for their song 'Get Along Little Doggie.' So yay! I added in a new chapter nine after this because I found out when re-reading this story that I completely ignored the week after Alvin's operation! It's awful. Oh, and I also realized that I never really described what actually happened to Alvin...In truth, I've been looking for an explanation myself...Ever since before I started this story last DECEMBER. So...sorry about that. But it's still a good story, right? You just have to look past the fact that I have no clue what Alvin's condition is...or how he got that way. Like Stephan King said, "Tell the truth, but when you don't know the truth, guess." Or something along those lines...

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young. Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 8:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 8

Alvin crept downstairs, going for a glass of water. It was about 2'o'clock Monday morning, so he was forbidden from anything else now. He filled his glass, trying hard to steady his hands. They were trembling. He'd managed to keep from talking most of Sunday, but now he was beginning to really get worried. All surgeries like this had a chance that the person would never get their voice back, even if that was a small chance. He couldn't stand the thought of never being able to speak or sing again. That was his whole life!

"Alvin?" Simon called from the doorway as his brother sat down at the table. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," was the almost impossible-to-understand reply.

"Just think, in a few more days you'll be all better."

"Yeah." Alvin couldn't look at his brother.

"But?"

"But what if I never get my voice back? What if I can't ever sing again?" Simon sighed, hopping up beside his brother. Now it was his turn to comfort.

"Well, you just have to believe that you will. I mean, the doctor did say it was a rare chance because they caught it early enough. If it had been a week from now, the chances of losing your voice forever would be much greater."

"But if anyone would have figured out something was wrong Thursday, then I wouldn't have even needed surgery."

"Yeah, but you only have yourself to blame for that. I mean, all those attempts to get out of school? Well, congrats. You're definitely out for the next week, and then some."

"Too bad it's not going to be very fun. I wonder how often I'll get stuck home alone?"

"Probably never. Even if Dave had to go somewhere, Miss. Miller can come over."

"I'd rather be alone then." They laughed quietly.

"At least she's not driving. Then I'd worry." Simon rubbed his brother's shoulder. "We'll be there tomorrow…today, I guess. Anyway, we'll be with you for the first two days, but then we have to go back to school. Talbot said he couldn't give us anymore time. The Board of Education made the rules and they can't go against it, even though he wants to."

"That's ok. Two days is better than none I guess."

"It's times like these when it's good to have two brothers," they heard Theodore squeak from the doorway. He quickly ran over and crawled around to sit on Alvin's other side. Eventually, their conversation got so loud it woke Dave and he had to admit that he wasn't all that tired, either.

"Come on fellas," Dave said, motioning for them to follow him to the living room. He pulled some board games out from under the couch. "Which one do you want to play?"

"Sorry," was the unanimous reply. For some reason, the boys were addicted to two games in particular. Sorry and Uno. As Dave was setting up, Alvin settled down on the floor, his knees tucked up to his chin. Even the comfort of his family around him wasn't helping his nerves. As soon as the game was set up, Dave sat beside Alvin, pulling the Chipmunk close.

"Dave?" Alvin whispered.

"Yes?"

"Did you ever have a surgery?"

"Not exactly…Not like yours." Dave squeezed Alvin comfortingly. "When I was sixteen I got my wisdom teeth out, and that's classified as surgery, even if it's really no big deal."

"Is that it?" The boys watched Dave closely. Their dad glanced down at his right arm, laughing quietly to himself. "Well?"

"My dad loved carpentry, and on the farm he had plenty of room to have all his tools and his works…Well, when I was little I wanted to be just like dear ol' dad, so when he wasn't looking I used to play around with his power tools. Well, one bright day I learned how to turn them on…"

"Is that how you got that scar?" Theodore asked curiously. They all knew about Dave's scar, but none of them had ever asked.

"Mmhm. And that's why I've always been so afraid to let you three around power tools. After I got my stitches out, my dad started showing me how to use them right, even if he didn't let me actually use them until I was older. So you remember that I used to work on all sorts of little projects, right?"

"I remember when I kept ringing the door bell," Alvin interrupted, "and we were playing in that old shed behind our old house. I never really understood why you got so mad…"

"Because of what happened to me, I couldn't stand seeing that happen to any of you."

"That's why you stopped, isn't it?" Simon asked. "Well, we're older now and we know better now…That is, if you want to pick it back up again."

"Nah. Maybe here and there, once in a while, but it's just not as fun as it used to be. I don't have my dad's passion for it."

"Did you get in a lot of trouble when you were a kid?" Alvin asked, snuggling closer to Dave. Everyone was beginning to wonder if they'd gotten the Sorry board out for no reason.

"Sometimes. But boys will be boys…" They all laughed at that. That had been part of one of their songs when they were littler. It was a family inside joke, and they loved it. "Why don't we start this game?" Simon and Theodore cheered their agreement, but Alvin was silent. "Alvin?" Dave glanced down to his side, grinning when he saw that Alvin had fallen asleep. After waking them all up, he just had to fall asleep. Typical.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"He's fast asleep," Dr. Dell said with a smile as he sat down beside the family. "Everything went perfectly smoothly, not a problem at all." The morning had gone almost too smoothly, actually. The doctor really couldn't wait for something to mess up; he knew something was going to. Even if it wasn't related to Alvin, something was going to go bad sometime during the day. But that didn't matter. Right now he had the pleasure of announcing that everything was wonderfully, perfectly fine.

"Thank you," Dave said happily. "When can we see him?"

"I might as well tell you the hospital policies now, eh? Visiting hours end at six, but you can stay tonight. I don't know why, but the hospital seems to think it's bad for kids who are recovering to have more than just one parent in the room at night. It's sad, really, because I believe that the quickest and easiest way to recover is around people you care about because they'll make you feel better. But it's not for me to decide, even though I am a doctor."

"But we can all visit now?"

"Sure. Knock yourselves out. Oh, will there be any other visitors?"

"The Chipettes had to go to school, but they'll be by later."

"Ah. Well, visiting rules definitely apply to people outside the family, no matter how close. Again, I don't see the point at this age. For younger children, yes, but once they're past seven or so then I think they're mature enough to handle something like this…of course, it's different with every family too. He's…" The doctor trailed off, glaring at the front doors. "Well, ask Tammy to take you there. I have some unfortunate business to attend to."

"Oh, it's them again," Tammy complained as she appeared at their side. There were three men outside, dressed like thugs but they held themselves like rich men. "They keep trying to harass him into telling them where Koda is. They think they have a right to that poor girl, just because they made her into what she is."

"What she is?' Simon couldn't help but ask.

"She would probably be a normal girl, or whatever she was before they got a hold of her, if it weren't for them."

"Whatever she was?"

"Never mind. You're the science brother, right? You're probably the only one who would understand, but it's probably better if you don't. I don't want to make you despise science." They stared as she walked towards an elevator. "Well, come on. Our throat and neck patients are on the third floor, as long as they're not in ICU. That's on this floor."

"We're coming," Dave called as he grabbed onto Simon's hand. The chipmunk wasn't moving. He was too shocked with wonder at why he would 'despise science' if she told them.

"Simon," Theodore tried to get through to his brother. "Simon! We have to think about Alvin now, remember? Simon?"

"What could they have done to 'Koda' for me to despise science just by hearing it?"

"Don't worry about it now. Come on, calm down."

"You're right; it's probably none of our business. They seem to have things under control now." He leaned against the wall of the elevator as it climbed the floors, not even noticing when it dinged at their stop. He was trying to think of all the things they could have done. It was illegal to experiment on human test subjects, but Tammy had said 'whatever she was.' Still, she was at least just like a human, not some rat. Perhaps the scientists had been behind her family's death or something, and she had been radioactively mutated and now they wanted to run all sorts of tests.

"Here you go, he should wake up any time now," Tammy said with a forced smile. As soon as they were in the room, she bolted for the first floor again.

"That was rather abrupt," Dave commented as he took a seat beside Alvin's bed. "So, what are we going to do while we wait?" The sight wasn't all that shocking, actually. Alvin looked comfortable, there was even a little smile on his face. It wasn't like he had all odd sorts of wires hooked up to him either. Just the few normal ones (the heart monitor, the IV, those sorts). And the stitches didn't look all that formidable either. Just a three inch line at the base of his neck (the only thing that was a bit hard to look at was the bare skin, seeing as the doctors had shaved away a square of fur for the procedure).

"Well, there is a TV," Simon suggested, glancing around for a controller, which Dave spotted first. He switched the TV on, the first time they had checked it out since Friday.

"There is no news of America's little star," the news lady said, "other than that he went to the hospital while the Chipettes finished up the show. Now, I don't think anyone is going to underestimate those girls ever again as they're quickly gaining popularity." The two boys stared at the TV. Leave it to the media to talk about the event (with no new news for two whole days) until everyone was sick of it.

"Maybe I should call them and tell them what happened," Dave laughed.

"Can't they figure out which hospital we're calling from then?" Simon asked.

"Probably, but there's a payphone just down the street. I could call from there and tell them how everything's going. That should make them happy."

"They'll never leave the house alone then. We're lucky they didn't show up yesterday."

"I think I saw a news truck heading towards our house. You boys don't mind staying at the Chipette's house tonight, do you?"

"Just as long as Miss Miller doesn't drive us there," Theodore decided.

"Out of luck there. I'm going to be staying here." He shook his head at their glares. "I'd do the same for you two, and you'd stay if you could, so don't look at me like that." They heard Alvin moving around a little bit, so they quickly snapped off the TV. She was wondering what would happen if he never got his voice back, and Alvin didn't need to see that on TV.

"Is he awake yet?" The question was answered by Alvin's blue eyes as he tried to hold them open for even a few moments.

"How are you feeling?" He pushed himself up a little, nodding to Dave. It didn't take him more than three or four seconds to collapse back onto his bed, so Dave went and hailed down a nurse to lift the back up for him.

"We have to figure out a way to understand him," Simon laughed as Alvin tried (pathetically) to make up his own sign language. "Paper and pencil?" Again, Dave was sent off on a mission, this time to get them paper and pencil. "So…until Wednesday then, you'll be staying here. We'll hold back the paparazzi as long as we can."

"I just hope they get bored with the story quickly," Theodore sighed. "They're so annoying when something bad happens. Do they even have feelings?"

"That's a lot, coming from you. You always see the good in people."

"Well, these people are so emotionless. They don't even think about how the people they're talking about will feel."

"A lot of them are just reporting what their superiors tell them too…I think. I mean, if they don't go through their superiors with what they're reporting then they could be blamed for doing something and get fired and sued and all that, so they have to."

'You're not sure, are you?' Simon laughed as he read the scribbles Alvin was writing. Alvin could right fast when he wanted to.

"Not at all." They were interrupted by a nurse, who was making the dinner rounds.

"Feeling up to food yet?" she asked. The whole room tried to stifle their laughs as Alvin crunched up his nose and shook his head like a five-year-old. "Well, you have to try something. I'm sure you're hungry after not eating since yesterday." He kept shaking his head, but his growling stomach gave him away. "Why don't you just try a glass of water for the moment?" He took in a deep breath, ready for some sort of sharp or burning pain. Or choking, whichever came first. His throat felt too fat to even swallow water.

It was easier than he'd thought. Actually, it was kind of soothing. The nurse told him that the pain medication was holding back any pain he'd feel, so the coolness probably felt good. He did look a bit overheated (and the window was open and it was in the eighties outside today). She nodded with a smile and went on to rattle off the sorts of 'soups' they had available for him.

"Go for the onion one," Theodore assured him. "It's got a really nice flavor…that is, if it's the same broth that was in the cafeteria…Wait, I thought you said those were soups."

"They are, for him," the nurse laughed. "No solid food for a couple of days. It'd probably hurt him. So which will it be?" He quickly scribbled down something, and then handed it over. Everyone waited with curiosity to hear what it said. "Whatever Theodore says. Well, onion it is." She moved quickly and was gone before they even got to be bothered by her. Alvin sort of tuned out everyone around him as he tried eating, but that was hard because the Chipettes decided to arrive right then.

"Four more days," Brittany complained coldly.

"Four days until what?" Theodore asked.

"Four more days of free school, then its back to the Cal way of life."

"His suspension ends after this week," Jeanette sighed. They had six days until they'd see Cal again, but only four school days.

"Maybe he's changed," Theodore tried. "I mean, his parents had to be mad about what he did, so maybe he learned his lesson."

"I doubt they even paid attention to it," Eleanor replied. "It's sad, really, the state their family is in. We're all really lucky." She smiled and waved at Dave. He looked completely exhausted. "So how's Alvin?" Alvin glared at the girls, letting his spoon fall as he waited for them to stop bothering him.

"He's grouchy from the anesthetics," Simon said, laughing as the glare was turned on him. The girls climbed up on the foot of the bed, all three of them staring in wonder. It made Alvin want to shrink into nothingness so that they couldn't see him. The one time the spotlight was all his, he didn't want one bit of it.

"Was there any sign of paparazzi?" Dave asked Miss Miller as she caught up.

"Not a trace all through this area, but the school was swamped," she said. "They called in the police to hold the media back so that the kids could have school today. I just hope they didn't send anyone to follow us. We took the really long way…"

"It took an hour to get here," Brittany cut her off, getting a hush from her sisters.

"Like I was saying, we took the really long way, so I don't think they kept up with all the turns."

"Let's hope," Dave said, his voice almost a whisper. "Have you had anything to eat yet?"

"Haven't had a chance for a bite since…"

"I'll show you where the cafeteria is." In truth, he wanted a just-adult talk and to give the kids some time to get comfortable with Alvin's voiceless state.

"The teachers let us take an early peek at our Christmas musical today," Eleanor said to start some conversation. It wasn't like Alvin and Brittany were going to start arguing to break the silence. Alvin was busy taking his time eating anyway, and Brittany was examining herself in the nearest mirror for what was the hundredth time that day. "Try-outs are in two weeks."

'Do you think I'll have my voice back enough by then?' Alvin wrote to Simon.

"No one can say for sure," he whispered back. "They said you'd start getting it back when they take the stitches out at the soonest. They didn't put an 'at the longest' time on it though." Eleanor flinched a little. She'd picked a bad topic.

"What musical are we doing this time?" Theodore tried to keep up the conversation.

"It's some sort of old-fashioned Christmas story with a moral," Jeanette spoke up. "It's nothing like the musical Christmas Carol we did last year, or the elementary school level Nutcracker we did the year before that. This one actually looks like it's going to be a lot of fun, and the director was the one who wrote it. He put in a lot of parts outside the chorus. They think there might actually be enough for every student in our class to have one and that they'll have a younger grade be our chorus."

"That does sound fun," Simon laughed.

"And they've already got the parts pegged," Brittany said. "You should have just heard everyone when we looked over the story line. They kept saying 'that's Brittany's part, definitely' and 'that's so Jeanette.' I have to admit, the parts do suit us. There was a scientist and a baker, a book keeper and a high-society lady and a motherly person…" She glanced over at Alvin. "And many other parts. The teacher kept saying the parts will be based on talent, though, not on the character."

"Wouldn't it be funny if you got the homemaker then and Jeanette got beauty queen?" Eleanor teased. "I can just see the parts now, with Alvin as the scientist and Simon as the chef and Theodore the thief of a main character who's always trying to steal from the high-society girl."

"Don't joke about things like that!" Brittany scolded. "What if that actually happens? I mean, come on! No one can be a better beauty queen than a beauty queen." Simon had to stop Alvin from trying to fling broth at her (not that the spoon would hold it long enough for him to even flick it, and not like the hot broth would go far enough to do much more than stain the bed sheets).

"Maybe we should talk about something other than school and the news," he suggested, finding himself unable to come up with something to change the subject with.

"Um, I picked up few new books today," Jeanette tried.

"Please!" Brittany cried. "Anything but your latest college-level novels."

"Actually…"

"I don't care how high your reading level is, Jeanette. Pick a different subject." Jeanette and Eleanor looked like lionesses ready to attack their prey while Theodore and Simon were fine and dandy cheering on from the sidelines (they didn't hit girls, ever) when a nurse came in and shooed everyone out.

"Could she be any more insensitive?" Eleanor complained as Brittany skipped off for the bathroom. The nurse had killed the 'attack-Brittany' vibe. What they didn't see was Brittany sneaking past them a few minutes later and back into the room with Alvin. The nurse had disappeared, but let the bickering kids stay out in the hall until they could work out the problems. She hadn't anticipated the problem-causer sneaking in for a few moments alone with the patient.

"Hey," Brittany greeted, hopping up on his bed. He turned his head away so he wouldn't have to look at her. "They're getting snacks at the moment. So…how are you feeling?" He glanced back. Why was Brittany so nice all of a sudden?

'Got a problem or something?' It took him long enough to write down what he was saying she began to worry that the others would come back before he finished.

"No, it's just…well…you'll never believe this, but I actually am worried about you. But I can't say it in front of other people. They'll think I'm soft, weak." He rolled his eyes. "It's kind of like how you act different when you're just with your brothers than when your with us or at school or something."

'I do not!'

"You do to! We all act different in different environments. That's what Jeanette told me when she was helping me with my homework a while back. That's another thing I can't tell anyone…except just now I just did, and if you tell anyone else I'll come after you with an axe."

'You want to know how I honestly feel? I feel helpless. I don't like feeling helpless.'

"No one would." She looked over at the door, making sure no one was around. "Remember that time we sang for the kids in that big recovery ward? You know, the ones that didn't need a room to themselves…or at least, a room that could have another patient but doesn't." She glanced over at the empty bed by the window with a laugh. "You could ask them to put you by the window."

'I can walk. I just don't feel like walking right now. And, yes, I remember the song. Why?'

"Because I remember singing it to cheer them up, not for the publicity. We wanted to make them feel better even though they were in the hospital. How did it go? Oh! I remember." She looked away from him as she began singing.

"Wo-oh-oh-oh, for the longest time.

Wo-oh-oh, for the longest…

If I said good-bye to you tonight,

There would still be music left to write.

What else could I do?

I'm so inspired by you,

That hasn't happened for the longest time."

She jumped when she heard the other four chipmunks singing the chorus from the doorway.

"Wo-oh-oh-oh, (for the longest) for the longest time,

Wo-oh-oh, (for the longest) for the longest…"

"I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall,

And the greatest miracle of all,

Is how I need you,

And how you're needing me too.

That hasn't happened for the longest time."

"Wo-oh-oh-oh, (for the longest) for the longest time,

Wo-oh-oh, (for the longest) for the longest…"

Brittany looked down at her shoes with a bit of shyness rising in her. That song was meant just for Alvin, not for the rest of the chipmunks to come and join in. Still, it was prettier with everyone singing it together. At least Brittany's sisters weren't mad at her anymore. They both ran up and gave her a hug as the two brothers jumped up on the other side of the bed, smiling at their brother.


	9. Chapter 9

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Ah, chapter 9. I just wrote this one two days ago, actually. When I was re-reading this story, I saw that I had skipped from right after Brittany singing to Alvin straight to the day Alvin got his stitches out! Now I know everyone would have hated that, so I added in what I could. At first I thought I'd only be able to make one chapter, but then I ended up adding in TWO! So enjoy my two, fresh-off-the-press chapters. Well, enjoy chapter 9 today (You'll see chapter 10 tomorrow).

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young. Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 8:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 9

Alvin stretched, trying to settle down for the night. For some reason the hospital had a policy that Dave couldn't stay the second night, so after six Dave had had to leave too. Everyone had hugged him farewell, even though no one thought it was fair that they had to leave. Even Dr. Dell and Nurse Tammy thought it was nuts, but they couldn't do anything for sake of their jobs. At least they'd let him have his own pajamas, and he didn't need an IV anymore (it had been in for most of the day because he was still having trouble even drinking anything, let alone taking his own medicine).

"Big day tomorrow," Tammy said cheerfully as she came in, sitting on the edge of his bed. "You know, we've never had a star in here before, let alone one as cute and sweet as you. The closest we've come is the kid that Nate looks after. She has the loveliest voice…Oh, I'm sorry. Please don't give me that look." Alvin looked away. He couldn't help it. Whenever anyone mentioned singing he got a sinking feeling in his gut. He still had that feeling that he wasn't going to get his voice back like they said he would. "I'm sorry kiddo. Look, I promise you'll have your voice back soon. Just keep your chin up until then." She held her hand under his chin, turning his face to look at her again.

The most he could do in the way of telling her how he felt was look at her with all the hope that he would get his voice back soon. "Are you more comfortable tonight?" Nods. "That's good. It has to feel better without that awful IV in your hand. And in your own clothes. That's a bonus." Alvin smiled, nodding some more. "We gave Dave a very strict meal plan for you for the next week, but you have to promise to eat as much as you can. It may be uncomfortable, it may even hurt a little. We've got a good prescription painkiller too…And another medicine on top of that." Alvin scrunched his nose up. "Sorry, it's necessary."

"Bothering our superstar?" the doctor laughed as he walked in. "Head home Cousin. You're shift was over half an hour ago."

"So was yours." Tammy laughed as she waved goodbye to Alvin. "See you tomorrow, sport. Get your rest."

"He can't rest if you bother him." Tammy gave her cousin a good glare before leaving. "Like she said, my shift ended half an hour ago. But I like to visit all my patients before leaving. Unfortunately, that means I always leave work late. Batty is going to kill me…" Alvin gave him the most questioning look he could manage. "She's a friend of mine." The doctor tugged on Alvin's collar, checking to make sure the dressing was alright over the stitches. "That's not bothering you at all, is it?" Alvin shook his head. "That's good…" They both jumped when they heard a commotion outside. "And that's not good…"

"Get that monster out of here!" they heard some man shouting. "It's gonna scare the kids!"

"Idiots." The doctor rushed out of the room to calm down the calamity, and Alvin, in his curiosity, crawled out of his bed and peeked out of the doorway. Kids in all the rooms around him were doing the same thing, even though most of them were in hospital gowns. He turned his attention to a child that was covered completely in what looked like white sheets as that child leaped into the doctor's arms.

"Get that thing out of here!" a guard was demanding.

"Don't you dare call her a thing!" the doctor snapped back. "She's a child, a girl. She's neither a monster nor a thing. Don't you ever say that she is! Now go back to your posts and watch for a real threat instead of threatening this child!" He spun on his heels, slipping back into Alvin's room and shutting the door. "Sorry about that, Alvin. Oh, this is…" The kid leaped up and cut him off from announcing her. "This is Shy, because she doesn't want me to tell you who she is because she's afraid of what you'll think of her."

"I am not!" a voice emerged from behind the white cloth covering her face. Alvin stepped back towards his bed, entranced by what he could see of her face. Her eyes were golden, and it looked like she had fur that was thicker than his. But it was hard to tell, considering the only part of her face that wasn't covered was her eyes and the bridge between her eyes. "I just don't want to scare him."

"You won't scare him, believe me. This is Alvin Seville of the Chipmunks…After all he's been through, you probably would be normal."

"Yeah right. I'm leaving."

"You just got here. Don't tell me you pushed through the guards just to leave!" The girl pouted some, but she decided to go over to Alvin instead.

"You need to get to bed. It's late and you just had that operation and all…" Alvin stared at the white blob as she dragged him back to his bed, giving him a boost to get up in it before jumping up beside him. "And don't ever think about thinking of me again. You'll probably never meet me again anyway. Night." She leaped down from his side, grabbing onto the doctor's hand and pulling him to the door. "Come on Nate. I have this awful ear infection that I need some medicine for."

"And your ear infection is more important than my patient?"

"Considering all the other doctors and nurses will look after him, yes. You're the only one that can stand being around me."

"Tammy adores you."

"You and your cousin. Let's go. I have so much to do and I can't let this infection get in my way."

"You're doing a pretty good job as it is…" And that was where the conversation ended because the girl had opened the door and dragged the doctor through before Alvin could even think about what was going on.

"Oh, that little rat," a nurse exclaimed as she hurried into the room. "Rousing all you kids right around bedtime. She has no decency, really. But she's an angel at heart, I'll give her that. Now, you get some rest dear." The nurse tucked him in and gave him a pat on the head before turning out the light and disappearing again. She left him to watch the blinking (but silent) heart monitor screen that was required to be attached to every patient. But he couldn't get that girl out of his head…Why was she such a monster? Sure, she'd been rushed, but the nurse had said she was an angel at heart. It didn't add up.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"You sure you got everything down?" the doctor asked as Dave was checking Alvin out.

"I'm positive…" Dave replied as he juggled the folder full of papers that had been given to him. It consisted of a list of the things Alvin could eat with each passing day, the prescriptions for Alvin, special care in certain situations, when to call the hospital if something were to go wrong, and other such like that. It was really a copy of everything they'd gotten before the surgery, but that didn't stop them from handing it out again.

"Take care kiddo, see you in a week." The doctor had bent down so he was on Alvin's level instead of just talking down to the chipmunk, but that didn't change the fact that suddenly Alvin felt like everyone was treating him like a little kid. The nurses had been all in a tizzy making sure he was ready to leave, and now it felt like the doctors were talking down to him too. He knew Dr. Dell didn't mean to. Dr. Dell and his cousin always tried to avoid that.

"Get plenty of rest and all that," Tammy added as she tugged her cousin away. "Oh, and make sure you save three tickets to your next concert. No doubt Nate here will wanna take Batty with him, and I love you guys and you know it." Alvin couldn't help but smile. She'd proven how big a fan she was by showing him a picture of her collection of Chipmunks merchandise. She even had stuff that had been sold by Uncle Harry a long time ago, stuff that had never actually been advertised or stocked in stores.

"Come on," Dave said soothingly, grabbing Alvin's hand to lead his silent son to the car. The ride home was hopelessly silent, and not even the music on the radio could make the silence less awkward. "We missed you around the house." Alvin only nodded. That was pretty much all he could do anyway. Except write what he wanted to say, but Dave hadn't seen Alvin open the notebook yet that day. In fact, Alvin had been clutching it and the pen against his chest since he'd left the hospital room, almost like he was nervous or something.

Alvin stared in wonder at how the bedroom had been rearranged so he could entertain himself while resting in there. There was a stand set at the foot of his bed with a whole stack of Alvin's favorite movies beside it and a TV resting on top. With a little more investigation, Alvin found that there was a VCR/DVD player hooked up as well as a PS2. "The games are over here." Alvin glanced over to see Dave pointing at the stack on the desk in their room. "Well…are you hungry or thirsty?" Alvin shook his head, clinging to his notebook still. "Well, that bell there is in case you need anything…unless you want to come downstairs and spend some time with me…But I'm not doing anything very fun right now." Alvin gave Dave his best smile as he climbed up onto his bed, pulling off his shoes and socks and curling up for a nap. He was tired anyway. But secretly he just wanted to try to put together what he'd seen the night before.

Who was that girl? He couldn't shake two gut feelings, the first being that he was going to have trouble getting his voice back. The other was that he couldn't help but feel he'd meet that girl again. At the very least, he knew he'd never forget her. Not many people barge into hospitals and get chased by the guards, saved by a doctor (who their on a first name basis with), and then demand that the doctor take care of some little problem. And get away with it all…

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Simon and Theodore stared at the empty seat between them. School just wasn't the same without Alvin around. They both looked up at the clock at the same time. Alvin would have been picked up from the hospital about two hours ago, if everything had gone according to schedule. So far the teacher had spent most of the day trying to keep their attention, but she'd finally given up.

"Pay attention," Eleanor hissed to Theodore. He turned his eyes briefly back to the teacher, but she couldn't hold his attention. He wanted to go home and see his brother. He missed being able to wake up from a nightmare and having Alvin just one bed away in case it was bad enough that he needed someone to talk to. He knew he could go to Simon for a lot of things, but midnight comforting wasn't exactly one of them. Simon was usually grouchy when someone woke him up in the middle of the night. Alvin was used to it.

"Simon, it'd be awful if you got in trouble," Jeanette warned. "It'd mark up your record." Simon turned his head to give her a smile before turning around and resting his chin on his hands. He had to force himself to watch the teacher today. Not that that was different than other days, seeing as he already knew most of what she was teaching, but today it was because he couldn't get his mind off his brother. He was excited to see his brother back home again, but he was also nervous because he knew things wouldn't be the same. Alvin wouldn't be talking, and everyone knew how loud Alvin enjoyed being. At least he wasn't going to have to be Theodore's main confidant anymore…Somehow he realized that he just wasn't cut out for that job.

"Enough chit-chat, children," the teacher said. "You four could learn from Brittany's example today." All four of them looked over to Brittany. She looked so calm and serene, almost like she wasn't even excited at all. They knew she was happy to see Alvin out of the hospital too, but they all agreed that she could show it a little more. The teacher saw the looks on the brothers' faces, smiling a little at their loyalty to Alvin. "You can go home in an hour, when school is over. And do wish him well for me." They turned around and stared in wonder at Ms. Montgomery. "Yes, even I have a soft spot. Now, on with the lesson…"

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

They both ran into the house at lightening speed, dumping their bags and ignoring Dave as they darted up to the room to see Alvin. But both of them stared in wonder when they saw that he wasn't there. "Guys, he's downstairs," Dave called, moving out of the way so the two could have space to retrace their steps and run for the den. Alvin looked up from the movie he'd been watching with Dave and smiled as his brothers froze. They both ran and dog-piled on him, but in a careful way. They were very wary because they knew he still be in pain. He was shivering a little, but that was probably because he wasn't used to his bare skin against the AC in the house. Even little differences were major differences sometimes.

"Welcome home," they said as they regained their composure. All Alvin could do was smile. Simon felt a sinking feeling in his gut. It was so weird, not hearing Alvin say anything, or even make a sound at all. Theodore was just happy to have his brother back, so he didn't let go of his brother until Alvin pushed him away.

"Things just weren't the same without you around," Theodore told him happily, turning and sitting comfortably by his brother. The movie was only partway done.

"Is this on TV or one of our old tapes?" Simon said as he made himself comfortable on Alvin's other side. He wasn't sure what channel it would be on if it did come on TV again, but it was quite the enjoyable movie that had become an instant classic to kids when it had come out. The live-action 101 Dalmatians movie was just getting to the part where the nanny was getting locked in the cupboard…or closet, or whatever it was.

"Tape," Dave announced as he rejoined the group, sitting in his chair. "And do you two have homework?"

"Simon'll help me after the movie," Theodore announced. "We have to keep Alvin up on his lessons too, so we might as well do the assignment together." Dave couldn't have been prouder of his boys. Sure, Alvin had cringed a little at the sound of 'lessons,' but what mattered was that Simon and Theodore were going to help to make sure he was all caught up.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Simon had been right about that nervous feeling. It was so awkward, trying to explain the homework to Alvin when all Alvin could do was nod for yes or shake his head for no. He couldn't ask questions, but he could write them down. Still, writing them was too slow. Simon found that he just had to help each of his brothers separately, starting with Theodore who could ask questions and then spending the entire evening after dinner working with Alvin. At least Alvin was actually welcoming the work…It scared Simon to think of how bored Alvin had to have been to be welcoming school work with almost open arms.

At least they'd gotten through it. But they still weren't completely comfortable with Alvin's unwilling silence. Not hearing their brother speak was almost heart wrenching. Alvin was the loudest person they knew, and now he'd made almost no sounds since he'd come home. Sure, he was a bit noisy when walking and people could hear him going about his activities, but that didn't change the fact that their brother was silent.

Simon stared at the dark wall, trying to get to sleep. They'd get used to it after the first few days. But what caught his attention was the sound of someone walking across the floor. He rolled over to see Theodore climbing up with Alvin and giving his brother a hug. "It's great to have you home again," Theodore whispered. Simon watched as Theodore leaped down and darted back for his own covers. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Simon added, noticing Alvin's form turn to look at him. "Welcome home Alvin."


	10. Chapter 10

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Hmm...Just sort of a random chapter to highlight another day before Alvin gets his stitches out. Honestly, there isn't much of a story to tell before Alvin goes back to school, so this chapter was a little hard for me, but I knew I had to add it. All you guys are curious, so I couldn't just leave you hangin . Besides, the next chapter is possibly one of my longest chapters in this whole story...With this, I got to take the beginning from that chapter and put it at the end of this one. So please, do enjoy. Hm...I really have to pick up writing the sequal. This one is getting up so fast. Oh, don't think that means it's almost over. Not over yet, not for a long while. But it won't be more than another week and a part until it's done...Geeze, I don't post these things unless they're at least halfway done, and I don't want to make you guys wait eternity for the sequal. Here I am ranting again...

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young. Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 10:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 10

Simon and Theodore squished Alvin against the window side of their booth to make sure that he was plenty far from the walkway. They'd gotten very protective of their elder brother over the last few days. Dave had taken them to get ice cream, after clearing it with the doctor. Alvin easily understood how easy it was to get to be on a first-name basis with Nate. He was a friend to everyone, and he always seemed to have time for Dave's calls. Well, except for once. He'd been in surgery for one of the calls. But he was always friendly about everything, even calling them himself once to see how Alvin was handling things at home.

"How's that ice cream, fellas?" Dave asked as he licked his own strawberry-filled waffle cone, sitting across from them. They all nodded in their happiness. Simon got a regular mint chocolate chip cone, Theodore had a double scoop cookie dough cone, and Alvin had a bowl of plain old chocolate. The doctor still had him on a soup and soft foods diet.

"Fancy that," they heard Miss Miller behind them. "Did you boys have a craving for ice cream too?" The girls were all up at the counter, having just arrived and were waiting on their cones still. "I bet you're excited, aren't you Alvin? Just one more day and you get those stitches out." Alvin nodded, content to keep digging away at his ice cream.

"Any sign of the…"

"No." Dave cringed back a little at the sternness of her answer. He'd asked her so many times if the press was near, though, so it was no wonder she was a little touchy. But for Alvin's sake, he had to make sure the press stayed away. No one could blame him for being nervous.

"Thanks!" the girls chorused out the counter as the server handed them their cones. "Miss Miller!"

"Coming girls. Oh, why don't you sit down while I pay then?"

"Aren't you getting any?" Eleanor asked.

"No, I'm afraid not. I'm not in the mood for sweets right now." The girls crowded into the booth behind the Chipmunks, each of them turned around on their knees so they could talk to the boys.

"Ms. Montgomery sure is being nicer," Jeanette commented, trying to bring up some sort of conversation. "Since you've been gone, she seems to be more understanding that we're kids just like every other kid, and just because we're famous doesn't mean we're spoiled or something."

"Speak for yourself," Eleanor giggled, poking Brittany in the side.

"Hey!" Brittany defended. "I'm not any more spoiled than you are." Four of the chipmunks laughed, Alvin just looked over at her with a cunning grin. "I just like the way I look…That's not spoiled."

"That's conceited," Jeanette whispered.

"Jeanette!" Everyone looked at Alvin when he snapped his fingers, setting his ice cream aside to write something in his notebook.

'Didn't Cal come back to school today?'

"Yep," the girls said together.

"I've never seen him so quiet," Theodore said.

"I don't think he moved all day," Simon added. "Except to go to lunch, then recess…But at recess he just sat around. He didn't even look at anyone."

"I hope it lasts," Eleanor said. "I'd much rather him be quiet and sit still than to have him picking on everyone again." All six of them nodded together. Then, all six of them turned their heads when the bell on the door rang. Again, at the same time, they all crunched down in their seats when they saw that the visitor was Cal.

"Speak of the devil," Brittany whispered. Cal didn't even look around the room, he just went right up to the counter and sat at one of the barstools, ordering a sundae. The boys quietly slipped out of their booth, tugging on Dave to follow them out of the parlor. As soon as Miss Miller came over to their tables, the girls did the same thing.

"What's the problem girls?" Miss Miller said. "We just got here after all."

"That's Cal," Eleanor whispered.

"I don't know why you're whispering. It's not like anyone will be insulted by you dears." The chipmunks rolled their eyes, content to lead Dave out. They knew Miss Miller would follow if they left. After all, they were the reason she was there. Alvin was the last to leave, and he couldn't help but look back at Cal. No surprise that Cal had finally noticed them, what with Miss Miller and all. But the glare that Cal was giving him sent a chill up his spine. It was no doubt who was being blamed for Cal's suspension, and Alvin could just see the hatred in the bully's eyes.

"Come on," his brothers hissed, pulling him out of the parlor, almost knocking the ice cream bowl out of his hands.

"Eat up fellas," Dave told them. "Don't want it to melt everywhere, do you?" They instantly dug back into their ice creams, but Alvin couldn't get that glare out of his mind. "Alvin, are you alright?" Alvin nodded, glancing over his shoulder at the parlor as they walked away. Miss Miller was blocking his view.

"Are you sure?" Brittany asked. "I mean, you look like something scared you spit-less." Alvin glared at her, but she only smiled. "That's better." He rolled his eyes, eating another spoonful of his ice cream.

"Oo!" they heard a girl cheer. "Hey guys!" They up to see Tammy skating towards them. "I was just on my way to get some ice cream. Today's my day off."

"Nice to see you again too," Dave greeted.

"Seems you all have already been there. Didn't clean them out, did ya?"

"No," Theodore said happily. "But you might want to hurry. That big fellow that walked in seemed to be really hungry. He ordered the biggest sundae available." Tammy laughed.

"Oh, my cousin says he can't wait to see you again, Alvin. He's excited for you, getting your stitches out and all. He gets excited for every kid he helps, but there's something special about you. Maybe it's just because that kid friend of his loves your group so much." Alvin smiled at the mention of another fan of theirs. "I'd best be hurrying. I promised Nate I'd help him take more of those pies to that kid…"

"We heard you arguing about that our first time in the hospital," Simon commented.

"I don't like going there alone. It's so creepy, that den of hers. But the people are friendly, and they're always so happy for anything we can give them. So whenever we have a day off, Nate always has me help him bake pies."

"You live with him?" Jeanette asked, surprised.

"Why not? He's my cousin. But I'm leaving next spring to start a real apprenticeship in Wyoming."

"Wyoming?" Brittany echoed. "That's a little…random."

"Not really. A good friend of mine went there when we graduated, and I came here because I couldn't afford to handle myself. Nate's a sucker, and I'm a leach. Free room and board, just so long as I help him with those darned pies." Everyone laughed as Tammy waved farewell and skated on her way to get her ice cream.

"Well, come on boys. You still have to do your homework."

"Yes Dave," Simon and Theodore said in unison.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Come on kiddo," Tammy said sweetly as she led Alvin and Dave to their room. "Nate will be here in a few minutes to get those out for you." Alvin smiled as he glanced down at the stitches. The fur around them was just starting to grow back, giving that spot the 'healthy glow' that the Chipettes had with their extra-short short fur.

"Or maybe I can be here right now," Nate said from the doorway.

"That other appointment was easy then, wasn't it?"

"Easier than expected." Nate put on his best smile, walking over to Alvin's side. Dave had convinced Alvin to wear a shirt that had a neckline that could easily be moved out of the way, instead of the turtleneck that the boys were used to. "Hm, looking nice…Tammy?"

"Here you go."

"Hold still now." Alvin sat as still as he could as the doctor started clipping the stitches. Alvin couldn't help but shiver as Nate pulled them out of his skin. "There you go," the doctor said with a smile as he finished. "I bet that feels nice, doesn't it?" Alvin nodded. "Anything you want to try to say?" He opened his mouth, making a few noises just with the air that was coming out, but no actual sounds formed. He looked up with teary eyes. "That's alright. Just work at it and your voice will come back in no time. But don't strain yourself too much, ok?" More nodding. He'd been doing a lot of that over the last week. "I bet you can't wait to get back to school, eh? Get away from the boring nothingness that's been plaguing you for a week?" Alvin wrinkled his nose, something he'd gotten very good at doing whenever he didn't like the thought of something. It was actually more cute than anything else, but no one bothered mentioning that to him.

"Anything we need to know?" Dave asked, wanting to make sure to cover anything.

"Some of the usual things still apply." Nate patted Alvin's head. "Don't over-exert yourself, don't be harsh on yourself if your voice is a little slow to return, and make sure to call if you're still in pain. You shouldn't have too many more pain pills left by now…" Alvin shook his head and held up one finger. "Think you're going to need it?" Alvin shook his head again. "Good luck then. I wish you well…"

"Nate, you're going to be late!' Tammy warned, shoving her cousin out the door. "He has a meeting to get too, and it's awful how rude the owners of this place are. They only excuse him if he had to go to emergency surgery or something awful like that. Never give him a moments peace." Dave patted Alvin's back as he tried to make some sort of noise again.

"Don't worry," Dave whispered. Alvin nodded, but he still couldn't shake that sinking feeling in his gut.


	11. Chapter 11

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Northgalus2002, I'm happy to see you gussing at what's to happen. But, as much as I want to go ahead and blurt everything out right now, I'll have to wait and let you discover the future of this story for yourself. Another note, something that was brought up in Northgalus2002's last review, everyone knows the Olympics have started, obviously. I too am interested in them, but it only takes ten minutes or so to update so you can expect updates every day except Sunday, just like it's been going. Although it may be even longer before I start on that sequal...especially since I've found some very interesting old books on my mother's shelf to read while watching the Olympics (I am honestly a multitasker...when something boring is on the Olympics, I'll just ignore it and read...I love the background noise anyway). These books are books that were bought in the 70s or earlier by her mom (or her...I think she was in middle school by then at the very least).

And anyone that's never heard of 'Juvie Hall,' I'm sorry...that's just a nick-name for juvinile delinquent...em, something or other. Bascically, it's a prison sort of thing for kids (well, people under 18 or 17 or whatever the age is). Kids can spend a day there or weeks there. It's to try to keep them from turning out bad in the end. All I know is that my brother was almost sent there when he was twelve, so I don't know what the age limit is on either end. If someone out there hasn't heard of this...you have now. I know they still have it at least where I live, since some kids from my high school were sent there last year (for almost the whole year, thank goodness). So if they don't have it in California, sorry. It still makes for good conversation. Oh, and it's not that big of a deal for the story, I promise. I just thought everyone should know.

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young. Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 11:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 11

"Everyone, welcome back Alvin," the teacher said in a monotone voice. She kept her posture as perfect as a stick, not even bothering to look at him as she made her announcement. All the girls in the class started to get up to go welcome him back, only to be shot down by a quick glare. "Say 'welcome back,' come up and annoy him later."

"Welcome back, Alvin," they all echoed together. The boys just looked out the window in annoyance as all the girls went ga-ga over their favorite boy in the grade. They weren't all too thrilled that he was back (even though they were glad that he was ok, they wanted the girls to pay attention to them). The only person that truly resented his return was Cal, who was now being watched twenty-four/seven. He hadn't been sent to juvie, but he'd been close. His mother had bought him out of it, but one more slip up and he'd be sent there for as long as it took. He was trying to hatch a revenge plan that didn't include physical beatings.

The plan hit him over lunch as Alvin darted away from everyone that was trying to talk to him, pushing his brothers to answer the questions he couldn't avoid. The brat couldn't talk yet. Nothing could be more perfect.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Don't hurt me," a kid groaned as he backed away from Cal that afternoon. The bully was holding a really big plank of wood, and the kid had just happened to bump into him.

"Hurt you?" Cal laughed. "Jesse, I'm a changed man, I swear. You wouldn't believe how much trouble I got in with my whole family! If anyone catches me bullying anyone ever again, I'll get sent to military school. But don't cross me! I may be trying, but that don't mean I'm gonna be perfect."

"Yes sir." Jesse ran off, going to help the chipmunk brothers bring out some platforms that were going to make up the risers on stage. For the rest of that week and all of the next week, they and the next grade were going to be putting together the set (through auditions, which would be taking place one student at a time in the teacher's office while two other free teachers would supervise the building of the set). Sure, it was really early, but that was because the teacher had written it and wanted time to see it and make necessary revisions. "That was even scarier than when he was bullying everyone."

"I guess we are getting to the age where they could send us off to military school," Simon said quietly. "And he's older than us…I think next year he'll be old enough to be sent to juvie hall."

"Those places have age limits?" Theodore asked in wonder.

"Juvie does…at least, I've never heard of anyone under a certain age going there. As for military school, it's the same thing. I guess they label anything that happens to anyone under those ages as just children misbehaving and leave it to the parents to decide."

"I wonder what he'd have to have gone through to be this bad of a bully already, seeing as he's only eleven..." Theodore gasped a bit with realization.

"What's wrong?"

"What will he be like when we're older?" He felt Alvin's hand on his shoulder and turned to see the oldest shaking his head (while taking his hand off his littlest brother's shoulder to point at his own head). "You're right; we shouldn't be worrying about that now. At least he's trying to be good for the time-being." He smiled as Alvin nodded in return. They were getting good at reading Alvin-language (their new dub for his sign language).

"Hey…" Simon started to say, but Cal's actions interrupted him. He'd caught sight of Cal approaching Jeanette, but instead of attacking, he actually grabbed what she was carrying. The first few days he was back, he'd done nothing but brood in the back of the room, making a few complaints when the teacher called on him and pushing out all the lies he could come up with for not doing his homework. But now that they were starting the set…this was odd.

"Eh…thanks, I guess," Jeanette mustered, before retreating to Simon's side. "Did you…"

"Yeah, I saw. I wonder what he's planning? I mean…I don't think he's even smart enough to plan something this well, but this is such a sudden change…"

"Maybe he really has changed," Theodore tried. "Maybe he won't completely change, but shouldn't we be glad that he's at least being nice right now?"

"Yeah, but…" Simon shook his head. He knew there was a good excuse, he just couldn't find one. "Let's just get these on the stage." The platforms were starting to hurt his shoulders anyway. It didn't take too much longer, seeing as Cal had suddenly decided to put his muscle into it, paling up with the chipmunk brothers. They didn't have much of a choice in that. What were they supposed to do? Say 'no thanks, get away because we don't want you to help us and be nice to us and ask us forgiveness for your hurting Simon'? Not a chance! Besides, his muscles made it easier, even though he had to get used to bending down to help (he was twice their height after all).

"It's so nice to see everyone working so well together!" the teacher complimented as she came out to get the next student in line for auditions.

"How was it?" Eleanor asked the girl that had just finished her audition.

"You guys are gonna get all the leads," she replied. "It's like this musical is made just for you guys!"

"I'm sorry…"

"It's ok. You can't help how famous you guys are. Some people are just born with the talent, y'know? Besides, I get stage fright really easy. I'd probably pass out on opening night. Now wouldn't that be a sight?" Eleanor sighed as the girl skipped away.

"Now I'm going to feel bad if I get a lead part. She has such a good voice too…"

"We'll get what we get," Brittany scolded. "It's based on talent and whoever has the most talent gets the leads, and whoever has the least gets stuck in the chorus."

"It's not like that!"

"Yes it is! You wouldn't put someone who can't sing to save their lives center stage, would you? And you wouldn't put someone with amazing talent backstage, would you? You want the best show you can have. After all, this is really just a way for the school to make money. Putting us in the center is going to attract everyone from all around, not just parents."

"So we're just publicity then, eh?"

"Who cares? It's great for our rep." Eleanor shook her head, turning away to go join Jeanette so that she'd avoid actually punching her sister. Brittany was really starting to sound like Alvin these days, now that they were more famous and since Alvin still couldn't talk.

"She's just a drama queen," Jeanette whispered when Eleanor was in ear shot. "If she doesn't grow out of it, we can just kick her out of our room."

"But then she'd throw a temper tantrum about that. What she needs is some sort of wake-up call to tell her she's not the center of the universe."

"We can't wish anything terrible on our sister…But, yeah, I want her to just grow up so badly! Sure, it was nice that they let us sing center stage, but she'd been nothing but a conceited…well, air-head since." Eleanor laughed at that. "What? There are really no good words to describe it."

"She did sing that song for Alvin when he was in the hospital. That means she hasn't completely lost her soul, seeing as she's still worried about him." They giggled a little before being ushered off to the costume room to sort out the outfits according to time-frame and color. A boring job, but it was better than putting up with Brittany's complaining for the rest of the period.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"I'm really getting fed up with it!" Eleanor complained that afternoon as the five of them sat up in the Chipmunks' room (Brittany had disappeared to the bathroom, as snooty as ever). Theodore was sitting beside her, rubbing her back to try to calm her down. "She's not even our sister anymore!" Alvin was nodding, scribbling something down on the paper (something that was too complex to just sign out in the short time they had).

"We have to do something," Jeanette sighed as she leaned against Simon (almost unknowingly). "I don't know how much longer we can put up with it."

"How much worse it is at home?" Simon asked, not sure weather he was uncomfortable or not with Jeanette leaning on him.

"She's always going through our clothes, complaining about this or that and how we could improve our wardrobe. Then she breaks out the make-up and tries to convince us to let her try out some new colors, just to see what looks best on us. Oh! And she wanted to cut my hair yesterday. She had the succors and everything."

"She keeps telling me that mine is too short," Eleanor added. "She wants to take me to get extensions." Simon jumped a little as a pencil hit him in the head.

"What?" he snapped at his older brother. With a sigh, he gave Jeanette a little push so he could go over and get the notebook from Alvin. Jeanette jolted a little, blushing when she became fully aware that she'd been leaning on him. "Alvin says we should…" He paused, reading over the whole thing before saying something. Everyone stared in wonder as a smirk crawled across his face. He actually liked the idea.

"What?" Eleanor demanded. "Spill!"

"Spill what?" Brittany interrupted, trying to get at the notebook. Alvin grabbed it, jumping off the bed and bolting for the door. "Hey! No fair! What are you hiding from me?"

"Aw, Brittany, if we told you then it'd ruin the surprise," Eleanor teased, grabbing onto Jeanette's hand to follow as the other two chipmunks escaped as well. She let out a scream that got Dave out of his chair. He was about to yell for Alvin to stop when he saw the others running too. By the time Brittany reached the room, she just crossed her arms and sat down on the floor.

"Enough!" Dave called, pulling everyone back to the room. They'd made a dash for the kitchen, but when Dave said 'no more' they had to stop. "What's going on?"

"They won't tell me what they're hiding from me," she Brittany pouted.

"But I said it wouldn't be a surprise if we tell you," Eleanor said, a sparkle in her eyes. Dave sighed, flopping back in his chair. Five against one, and he couldn't blame them. Brittany was getting way too vain for her own good, but that was no reason for them to be bullying her.

"There is a better way to handle this," he urged, glaring at his boys.

"We're sorry," Theodore stuttered, trying hard to look away from Dave's glare. "But it really is a surprise." She glared, but nodded.

"Fine," she spat. "But it better be a good surprise. C'mon girls, we're going home." The two rolled their eyes, following her out the front door. As soon as they were out of sight, however, Simon collapsed on the floor with laughter.

"What's so funny?" Theodore asked, not understanding why Alvin was grinning or why his normally calm brother was rolling around on the ground. Dave was standing in the doorway, tapping his foot as he waited for Simon to get it out of his system, but every time he started to calm down, another bout of laughter attacked.

Alvin tugged on Dave's sleeve, pointing at himself and Theodore, then pointing upstairs, and then at Simon. "Alright, go upstairs, but you better have a good explanation when you come down for dinner," Dave agreed. The phone rang as the two brothers dragged Simon back to their room. "Hello?"

"Hey," Dr. Dell called on the other line. "So, was there any sort of sound today at all?"

"Not even a grunt or grumble. Is that bad? After all, it's just been one day."

"It's not that, it's the concert. I'm worried about what it did for his psyche. Now, I may be busy and forget to call, but could you call in with a check up every other day if I don't?"

"Sure. What are you thinking?"

"I'm hoping he'll start talking again soon. Everything is completely fine. All healed up. It's that night on stage…Most kids their age aren't that famous, and it can be great for them as long as the media doesn't go all out and try to rip them to shreds like they do with the older stars. But having something like that happen on stage, even if everyone understands, can have a great impact. If he doesn't start at least making sounds in the next week or so, I'd like to set him up with a child's psychologist. Is that ok?"

"Yeah. Anything to help him. Thanks."

"Bye."

"Bye." Dave leaned against the wall, looking up at the light that was reflecting out of their open door. Simon's laughter had calmed down, and now he could hear a bit of Theodore's giggling as the youngest was let in on the secret.

"So we're not hurting her at all, right?" Theodore whispered through his giggles.

"Just messing up her fur a little," Simon joked back. "They're auditioning Friday, so that's the day we have to do it."

"And then Amy can finally have a chance at the spotlight, too."

"Alvin, I have to hand it to you, this may get on Brittany's nerves, but it's sure going to help a lot of people. Now…what are we going to do about that surprise?"

'Throw her a fake party,' he scribbled down.

"Now that's going to be a pain to plan, but this should work." He glanced out the door. "Why don't we go to my lab to finish this?" They were all agreed, sneaking around the long way to get past Dave (who was sitting in the den looking rather worried). Alvin and Theodore followed Simon's instructions to the word, getting him the beakers he wanted and getting out of the way so he could work.

"Can you really make a potion that will give her a week-long cold?" Alvin knew it was Simon's old potion, fixed up to its original purpose, why-ever Simon had invented it in the first place.

"And it'll frog up her voice." He smiled, knowing that, with Brittany in the chorus, the musical was bound to be a success. There would be no conceited girl to over-do her lines and practically ruin the show. Not just that, but Eleanor and Jeanette had often talked about the talent Amy had. Amy was a girl that was twice as shy as Jeanette but Jeanette wouldn't let the girl buckle up under stage fright. She'd teach Amy all the secrets. "So how are we going to get her to drink it?"

'Just trust me,' he scribbled down.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Jeanette," Simon pretended to bicker the next morning, "Brittany would never try it for us. Not after that scene last night."

"But you know Theodore and Eleanor are too humble, and I can't stand the way it tastes. What's your excuse?"

"I don't really care if I'm not center stage." They were standing in the class room before school started with a water bottle filled with Simon's concoction. "And Alvin…" He hushed his voice, making sure to keep it loud enough for Brittany to hear from her post a few rows over. "Well, the doctor doesn't think he'll be getting his voice back any time soon. You know, the psychological pressure." He'd noticed Dave looking up child psychologists the night before, so he was sure that his idea wasn't too far-fetched.

"So he won't be singing in the musical?" Brittany interrupted.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop, Brittany," Jeanette warned.

"Well sor-ry. You were talking loud enough." Her expression suddenly lightened. "So, how is Alvin anyway?"

"We're not sure," Simon whispered. "We can only hope he'll talk again someday, just because of the situation. You know, having his voice do what it did during an event that big…Anyway, we shouldn't talk about it too much. He'll be in here any minute." Jeanette sighed, almost having second thoughts on doing this to her sister. Brittany looked so sad right then as she thought about Alvin's condition.

"Well, of course…Anyway, you were talking about something helping someone to get center stage?" And any regret that was welling up in Jeanette was gone. Brittany sure got over the news fast.

"Yeah, but I don't think you'd trust us after last night and all…"

"Oh, the party? Eleanor gave in and told me. That's real nice of you guys, but there's really no occasion to throw me a party, even if you do feel bad about not getting me what I wanted on our birthday, seeing as it was last April." Simon stared in awe. Eleanor had really read their minds while improving upon the plan.

"Oh, well…Would you like to try this? We think it'll amplify your voice and make it…well, I don't know how to describe it, but it'll help you to impress the music teacher even more tomorrow. I know you don't need it, but we want to test it, as long as you don't mind being a guinea pig."

"Well, you're right, I don't need it, but I'll try it." She snatched it from Simon's hand. "I'll save it for lunch though. Is that ok?"

"Yeah. Oh, and one more thing. Make sure you…well, never mind. You probably wouldn't know how to look out for it."

"I'll look out for her," Jeanette offered. "If you eat a certain vitamin within the next 24 hours, it'll have the opposite effect. It'll make you hoarse and you'll feel all sick, like you have a cold, and that'll last for a whole week. But don't worry; I'll look out for you."


	12. Chapter 12

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Hm...chapter 12 is finally here...Wow, it seems like it's been so long since I wrote this...I wrote this chapter last February, believe it or not. Just after this chapter I got into a writing slump and left this story in the cobwebs at the back of my mind for a month or two...Then I forced myself to pick it back up around mid-April. Thanks for the reviews everyone, keep it up.

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young. Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 12:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 12

"Brittany, are you sure you showed me everything you ate yesterday?" Jeanette asked for the sixth time Friday.

"I'm positive," Brittany's voice hoarsely replied.

"You had to have eaten something that you didn't pass through me, because everything you showed me was ok. That is…unless…"

"Unless what?"

"You were sick before, already. Those can last a whole week too, and then some sometimes." Brittany shook her head.

"No! Why me? Why today?"

"Miller girls!" the music teacher called. "Who will be first? Brittany, you're first alphabetically."

"I can't sing today!" The teacher backed away at the sound.

"Well, ok…why don't we put you at the end of the list then? You can audition last. How does that sound?" Brittany nodded. "Ok, Eleanor?"

"Coming!" she giggled, running off to the office. They'd finished what they could that day already and the class period they were working through was in the morning. Starting anything new would carry them over into lunch, and no one was in a particular mood to skip their lunches that day. Brittany growled a little more, glancing around for Alvin. She wanted so badly to vent on him. He was the only one who took her whining. He, however, was busy trying to shake Cal, well outside of everyone's sights.

"Bet Simon was real grateful to ya, getting me suspended like that," Cal was saying. Alvin turned to try to say something in comeback, but still nothing came out. He wanted to say 'you got yourself suspended,' but all he could do was nod. "You know, I'm not too grateful for that. If it hadn't been for that, I wouldn't have to control myself so much or put on a show for all the teachers."

Alvin started to head back for the auditorium, but Cal got in the way. "The news-people say that your surgery was a success and it's only a matter of time before you start talking again. Then you'll be back on stage, showing off for the whole world, eh? So why is it that you're not even trying to talk? You just let the teachers baby you and you write down anything you want to say, or have your brothers translate. Heh, you'd better get your voice back soon or you'll be out. Face it, you've been famous for as long as you've lived with your family. Once you have no more use, you'll be out." Alvin shook his head crazily. "Don't believe me? Just you wait. It's what happened to my dad. His parents were trainers, and he was their trainee. When he couldn't play the sport anymore, they kicked him out. They didn't need dead weight like him leaching their money."

"Alvin!" someone called from inside the room.

"Sorry, I've held you up too long. See ya runt." Alvin hurried back in, turning back to glare as Cal went in and helped some guys who had been charged with moving the now-set-up bleachers three inches left without taking the whole set down again.

"What's wrong?" Theodore asked. Alvin shook his head, suppressing a shudder. The thing was, he could visualize Dave getting fed up and kicking him out. They were the paycheck, their fame kept them fed. Without his voice, they Chipmunks weren't going to be singing. If they didn't perform, they wouldn't get the money they needed to live…He shook his head again. There was no way Dave would do that. He was their dad for Pete's sake!

"Cal tried being friendly with you, didn't he?" Simon asked. Alvin waved his hand in the 'sort-of' motion. "Brittany's audition has been moved to last. Let's just hope it holds out."

'If it doesn't, you can just make something as a 'cure' for your concoction,' Alvin scribbled down. 'Just don't let it get out that you have the common cold in a bottle.'

"Don't worry about that. That's one thing that I'll never admit to making, so you guys and Eleanor are the only ones who know." Jeanette nodded as she readjusted herself in her chair. Those who weren't working were sitting in the audience part of the auditorium. Theodore was looking over a recipe he'd been working to perfect. He kept saying that something tasted 'not-quite-right,' even though the pastries were the best his friends and family had ever had.

Brittany was busy brooding across the room when Cal casually went up and started talking to her. At first they watched her scooting away, but then they saw her scooting back to where she'd begun. They talked until class was over, when Brittany said her goodbyes and ran back to join them all. Eleanor had asked a few questions when she returned from her audition, and Jeanette had come back with a 'did I miss anything?' Now, Brittany had a little grin on her face.

"What's going on?" Eleanor asked.

"Oh, he's just not…well, not what you'd expect." They cringed a little at her hoarse voice, wondering how Cal had put up with it for so long. "He just came over to tell me he hoped I'd get better soon 'cause he's a big fan of mine and loves hearing me sing and he can't wait to hear me center stage at the musical." They should have figured she was so happy because he'd buttered her up. "Oh, and I'm going to the closing night party with him."

"What?" Jeanette scolded. "Since when?"

"He asked me." She skipped ahead of them, leaving all mouths wide open. All, that is, except for Alvin. He kept his head down, glaring at the floor. Cal just wasn't going to give up, was he? He hadn't asked Brittany because he wanted to ask her with his own voice, and now it was too late.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Cal's really doing a good job at trying to be nice now," Simon commented at the dinner table a week later. "He was the only one who could figure out how to calm Brittany down when the teacher gave her a chorus part because she couldn't audition." Alvin banged his fork against his glass. "Sorry, but she wanted to hear those words, not read them…" He cringed a little, trying so hard not to insult his brother any more.

"So, I hope he's completely changed," Theodore tried. "He hasn't been mean to anybody since he came back…well, at least not on purpose. And when he is mean, he says he's sorry. It's a completely different person."

"That's good to hear," Dave replied. He wasn't really paying much attention. What was on his mind was how to break it to Alvin that both he and Dr. Dell thought it would be best if he saw a psychiatrist. It wasn't going to be easy, and he certainly didn't want the other two around when he said it. He wanted it to be one on one.

"Dave?" Simon called. "Earth to Dave!"

"Huh?"

"You're spacing out."

"Sorry." He looked over the three of them, each of them scrutinizing him.

"You got dumped again, didn't you?"

"What? No!" He laughed. He'd dumped his last girlfriend well before the concert. She'd only wanted to go out with him for the money, and somewhere along the line he figured that out. She wanted to use the Chipmunks to find her own fame. "It has nothing to do with girls, I promise." They glared a little, but took his answer. He darted to be the first to grab the phone when it rang, and he made sure to pick up the one in the den instead of the kitchen.

"What's he keeping from us?"

"Who knows," Theodore sighed. "You know, I don't think he's going out with that girl anymore. We haven't seen her in almost a month, and remember one day he was really mad for no reason and then the next day he seemed relieved?"

"That was a while ago…that would mean he broke up with her back then…He wouldn't get a new girlfriend without telling us, would he?" They all three lined up in the doorway, straining to listen.

"Not even a little sound…" echoed back. "Yeah, I know, but I can't really find one that's affordable. They know who I am because of the kids, so they'd never give me a break just because of how famous my boys are."

"He's trying to buy something?" Simon whispered.

"Really?...Thanks! That'd be great…Oh, thank you again. You've helped us so much…Bye." They darted for the table again as he came back in. He had a smile, until he looked at Alvin. Then his face turned back to its concerned look. Alvin noticed that and looked down. So Dave was upset because of him. That wasn't completely unexpected…he wasn't talking yet, no matter how much he tried. Everyone was worrying, even though they all tried to pretend everything was normal.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Goodnight you two…" Dave waved to Simon and Theodore before going to steak out the bathroom as he waited for Alvin to come out. When the door finally opened, Dave looked down to see two curious, blue eyes. "I need to talk to you about something." Alvin gulped a little nodding as he followed Dave back downstairs.

"Simon…didn't you say Dave was looking at psychiatrists the other day?" Theodore asked as the leaned out their bedroom door.

"Yeah…I was hoping I wasn't right about the reason why."

"You know, everyone's getting worried," Dave said as they sat down downstairs. Alvin merely nodded. "Well, the doctor thinks…and I don't think it can hurt anything…but he thinks it might be best if you try visiting a psychiatrist." More nodding. Dave rubbed the back of his neck, pretending to have an itch. "So…you'd give it a try?" Alvin sighed, nodding again. He took in a deep breath, trying hard not to cry. That meant the doctor thought it was all in his head, but he could swear that it wasn't in his head. He was trying, he really was. Just nothing was coming out. He let out that breath when he felt Dave's arms around him. "Don't worry. You'll be talking again soon, I know you will. You're too stubborn to not get through this."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

The psychiatrist had gotten in touch with the school's office, nurse, and councilor. He was sitting with full reports of everyone in Alvin's grade in front of him, flipping through them as the chipmunk acquainted himself with the room. Alvin could care less what the shrink was looking at. He just wanted the whole thing over and done with. It had been a week since Dave had asked him and he still wasn't talking, no matter how hard he tried. So he found himself in the office of some old freak.

"So, I suppose you probably wouldn't want to autograph a picture for my granddaughter, would you?" the old man joked. Alvin glared, but grabbed a pen and signed the picture that the psychiatrist pushed at him. "You're her favorite. She's been really worried about you. I've never seen her ever watch the news so often, but every time she comes over she turns the TV on. She always asks me 'has he talked yet?' even though she just checked not even ten minutes earlier."

'I try to talk, really I do,' he wrote down in response, passing the paper back.

"I know. But you know…all this has to be frustrating. I mean, the whole incident on stage was big, and your adoring fans are waiting to hear you again. And now you're having trouble talking…You know, the reason you're here is because maybe I can help you get that voice back." Alvin nodded. "So…how's school?"

'What's that got to do with anything?'

"Oh, nothing really. I figure it'd be easier if we're friends." Alvin tried his hardest not to make a face. He did not want to be friends with this old geezer.

'The musical auditions took place a while ago, and when the sign was posted everyone was ticked off. Simon got the thief while Cal got the scientist and Brittany is the only girl in our grade the chorus while Jeanette has the lead girl's role and Amy is the bookstore girl. Theodore is the only one in the right place as playing the chef. Of course, I'm just going to be helping out backstage.'

"Just backstage? Don't you think you can get your voice back in time to sing with them?"

'Even if I do, I won't have time to learn everything.'

"But you're a professional. You make a living out of music and dancing. I think you can learn them in no time. I bet you already have both your brothers' parts memorized." Alvin paused, nodding in agreement. "So…does it bother you much, that you lost your voice on stage?"

'A little, but I know that the fans understand. They've all lost their voices before too.'

"So true. Not a single person has been spared from that. But having it happen on stage? In the middle of a solo? With the press waiting for, and getting, the biggest story of their year?"

'There's bigger stories.'

"Only because they make those stories big. This story was big on its own. Well, anyway, I heard you stood up to a bully that gave your brother a really nasty black eye. That's pretty courageous. So, how's it been with the bully since you went back to school?"

'He's…strange. He's so nice to everyone, always helping them. He even asked Brittany to the musical's party. But to me…he keeps saying things like 'if you can't make money anymore then you're worthless to your family' and then, whenever anyone else comes around he smiles and says stuff like 'I wish I had a brother like you before I moved to this school 'cuz I got picked on a lot.''

"That's…interesting." The shrink looked over some papers, holding the blank side up when Alvin tried to peer over the edge. His eyes skimmed over the lines that said 'watching him closely' and 'had cameras installed to prevent any more harm to the kids' in Cal's record. He quickly scribbled down a note to himself to call the school and check in on that. "So…you're going to hate this question, but how does that make you feel?"

'Like he's out to get me! That or he thinks he's helping me by being so pessimistic.' The doctor sighed. He wanted Alvin to dig even deeper.

"Ok, how does that make you feel?" He laughed as Alvin's face scrunched up as though he was growling. "Just bear with it. Go on. Answer."

'That he had a bad life?'

"Ok, let me re-phrase that. Instead of how that makes you feel in general, how does what he says make you feel about yourself? Being famous, it must be rare finding someone who says that your family won't still be your family if you can't make money for them. After all, they've been your family for…you're nine, right?" Alvin nodded. "For the last nine years."

'Eight and a couple months. We did spend the first few months with our mother after all.'

"Ah, right. Sorry. But you've always had your brothers. Would they be any less your brothers if you suddenly couldn't sing?"

'I've never been not able to sing. Well, not since I learned to talk at least.'

"That's not my point."

'We'd still be related.'

"That's better…So, has this been bothering you? The not-ever-singing-again possibility?"

'Of course it has! Simon may have his science and Theodore may have his cooking, but I want to grow up to be a rock and roll star.'

"You don't have to grow up to be a star. But I know you can do more than just sing. You're a C average student without trying, and when you like something you do just as well as Simon in that subject. Well, maybe not just as well with all his extra credit and over 100's, but you get 99 when you want to. And you're the star of your gym class, the only thing slowing you down is track racing and even that doesn't do much more than put you in second place sometimes."

'So? Sports players don't have long careers before they have to retire or something.'

"So? You can go on to coach the next generation, or, heck, you could be a police officer or a spy even. That involves quite a bit of physical work, as well as your particular kind of smarts. You seem to do better in on-the-spot situations than most people." Alvin glared as the psychiatrist just scribbled down all sorts of notes. "Oh, don't worry about this. These are just notes for myself for the next time I see you."

'Next time?'

"This isn't a one time deal. You'll be seeing me twice a week until you get your voice back. Well, twice a week except for holiday weeks." Alvin's eyes turned huge, getting a good laugh out of the doctor. "Look, I look into some things. If we can find proof that Cal's been doing this, and if it's bad enough to be considered bullying, then we'll get him for it again. Maybe he'll learn his lesson this time. I promise I won't tell anyone any more than I need to."

'What's any more than you need to?'

"Well, I can say I'm a worried parent looking in to make sure they put in those cameras they mentioned…it also says that they were suggested at the last parent meeting by…Well, look here. By a Mr. David Seville. It looks like he's really looking out for you guys, eh? Our hour is just about up, though, so how about you take this dollar and get yourself a snack or a drink or something? Your dad should be here in a few minutes, so I'd like to talk to him…and no, I won't tell him anything you told me. You can do that yourself. But I'd still like to talk to him all the same."

Alvin gave one last look over his shoulder before hurrying off for the vending machine, making sure to point back at the office when Dave came in.

"Well?" Dave whispered as Alvin sat down in one of the chairs to wait.

"Well, I'm not at liberty to disclose anything he told me, which really wasn't much more than you probably know to begin with, but I can say what I'm thinking. Like we thought, it's in his head. Right at the moment, however, I'm not sure enough to say if he's convincing himself that someone else is telling him what he thinks or if the other person really is saying those things…and there's no way to tell if that's the cause of it at all, but I think that's a good place to start. With the doubts."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Be there for him. Love him like you've always loved him. Oh, and take them out for some fun before the temperatures get cold. The weather-people are predicting we'll get temperatures down in the forties by Christmas and we may even get some frosts, so go out and have fun while you can. It'd be good for him."

"You think so? I mean, out in public where all the fans are?"

"Well…his brothers know how to hold back the crowd by now. Besides, maybe one of them will say something that he'll really want to answer and he just will. Won't that fan feel special?"

"They've been wanting to go to the amusement park before the prices spike for the people who come for the winter."


	13. Chapter 13

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Well, this chapter may seem a bit pointless at first, but it's very important. Many many little things happen in this chapter. Anyway, I realize that I must have written this chapter at midnight or something, possibly on a school night too. There were mistakes everywhere when I went back and read it, not to mention half of the sentances didn't make sense.

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young. Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 13:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 13

"It's Alvin!" the girls were screaming as they walked through the park. Dave was shoved aside as girls ranging from age seven to fourteen attacked the boys. Some of them didn't even care that Alvin was there because their favorite was Simon or Theodore, but they still heard the scream and followed the girl who pointed the boys out.

"Please…please!" Simon tried, holding onto his glasses to keep them on his face.

"So is it the doctor's fault?" one girl asked as she latched onto Alvin's arm. "Did he screw up?"

"Will you be able to sing at your usual Christmas concert?" another interrupted.

"Will you even have the concert?"

"Will you have any new music?"

"Fan girls are worse than the press," Theodore cried as he managed to find Dave and attach himself to Dave's pant-leg.

"He's so cute!" some of the girls squealed. Dave had to pick him up to keep them from tackling the poor guy.

"More like football players," he laughed. "Girls! Please! We're here for a day-vacation and, well, masses of crazed fans aren't much vacation." They all turned to him, their eyes huge and looking ready to burst into tears. Their parents were calling them back anyway, but that didn't stop them from being upset.

"It's a good thing the Chipettes can't meet us until later," Simon gulped as he let go of his glasses and smoothed out his shirt.

"Here." Dave took the glasses and cleared off the newly-made smudges for him.

"Thanks." They turned their attention to Alvin who was busy brushing any dirt off his own shirt. One girl had even left an ice cream stain behind. "So, what ride's first?" As usual, Theodore pointed to his 'safe' favorites. As usual, it was agreed that Dave and Theodore would go ride those rides while Alvin and Simon would go for the bigger roller coasters. They agreed to meet for lunch at the place where they'd promise to meet the Chipettes.

"Simon!" Jeanette called excitedly as two of the three girls ran to greet them. "Well, it's good to see some friendly faces. Brittany is taking that one date with Cal way to seriously."

"She brought him to the park, didn't she?" he grumbled back.

"Yeah, but just because he's bigger and scarier, so Miss Miller wouldn't have to worry about us getting kidnapped or something…" Everyone turned to see Brittany dragging her new friend towards them. He actually seemed a bit shy.

"Hi Cal," Theodore greeted as friendly-like as he could while he was trembling in fear.

"Yo," Cal replied, using that as his greeting to everyone.

"So," Dave cut in. "What does everyone want for lunch. Boys? The usual?" Nods.

"Something that won't ruin my perfectly white teeth," Brittany sighed.

"I'll order for us," Eleanor said as she glared at her sister. A week without her voice and Brittany was still as vain as ever. Great going Cal.

"Um…Cal?" Dave asked.

"A burger." He certainly didn't have much to say today. "So, have you kiddies been on the new coaster yet?"

"We're saving that for later," Simon said.

"I don't like those sorts of rides," Theodore spoke up.

"We're going to get on it after lunch," Cal stated.

"He's never been on a coaster before," Brittany told them as she clung to his arm. "Pretty brave to want to ride that one as a first, but that's ok! I can't wait to ride it."

"That's the one that breaks down a lot," Theodore said shyly. "I think I'll pass."

"Don't be such a baby!"

"Brittany!" Eleanor scolded. "Theodore, I don't want to ride it either. Why don't we ride some other rides while they're in the two hour long line, and we can get some ice cream about the time they'd be on it and sit and wait and regroup when they get off?"

"That sounds like fun!"

"I guess that means…we're riding it…" Jeanette gulped.

"We don't have to," Simon started, only to be jabbed in the back by his brother. "Ok, you don't have to. You can go with Eleanor and Theodore."

"It's not that I don't like roller coasters, I just like to build up and ride the bigger ones later. But I could ride it, if I really have to. It's three to a row, right?"

"Yeah."

"So if I don't go you'll probably get stuck by two strangers."

"So it's settled then!" Brittany cheered.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Why did we have to come too?" Simon hissed as they followed slowly behind Brittany and Cal. "You could have just come and hung out with me and Jeanette. I promise we'd keep the smart talk on a minimum." Alvin shook his head, pointing at the three of them, then to his eyes, then to Brittany.

"So basically you want to babysit her?" Jeanette interpreted. "Well, I don't disagree much. I'd rather be doing something more fun, but she needs help. She's not just 'suggesting' anymore. She actually cut an inch off my hair last night while I was asleep."

"I thought your hair looked shorter today."

"She's getting so annoying! I don't think it has anything to do with Cal though. I mean, he's been nothing but nice since he came back. She's the one that's been going down hill. I think she's going to end up being the next class bully. Not like Cal, but the kind that can rip you apart from the inside out. And Ellie and I have to live with her!"

"It'll be ok. We won't let that happen, I promise. Alvin would never let her turn into a bully. He's our grade's anti-bully." Alvin rolled his eyes as they reached the line, scrunching his nose up in annoyance as they decided to measure him to make sure he was tall enough. He just barely passed. It was a pain being one of the three shortest guys in their grade. All the others would have been two or three inches taller than the measuring stick at the very least. The thing that bothered him the most, though, was that Simon was taller than him. He was the oldest. By rights, he should have been the tallest. Still, at least he wasn't the shortest anymore like he'd been when they were little.

"Do you hear that? It sounds so awful…" There was a sort of out-of-the-ordinary screeching coming from the track the coaster was attached too. "That can't be good. It's a good thing this ride doesn't go all the way upside down." Jeanette shied back, hiding behind Simon as they looked up at it.

"It comes close enough. Besides, what I'm worried about is that noise and that hill." He pointed to the largest one, the first one. "If anything goes wrong when we're at the top of that we'll be in trouble. Especially if we don't have enough weight to pull us over forewords. We'd end up riding a broken ride backwards."

"Don't say things like that!" Simon didn't mean to sound pessimistic…maybe it was just because Alvin couldn't talk that he'd picked it up. Something had to fill the air, and when they were scared it was usually Alvin's horror stories about what could go wrong. So that was the first thing that came out of his mouth.

"Come on, babies," Brittany called back. "Are you really that afraid of a stupid ride? Honestly. Cal, how have I put up with them for so long?"

"I dunno," he replied. "But they're not that bad, really. I mean, they're smart…Well; Simon and Jeanette at least can help you with your homework. Alvin could sing…I mean, he could do some sort of gymnastics routine, I guess, to entertain you."

"You've really changed, you know that." Alvin rolled his eyes. They were nine for heaven's sake. Brittany was up there acting like they were in high school already. "Do you want to come over the day before Thanksgiving?"

"That's the day we're…" Jeanette started.

"Duh," Brittany cut off her little sister. "We're having this little get-together because we're all such a close little mini-family here, us Millers and the Sevilles that is, and I figured it'd be nice for you to get to know your new friends better by just joining us for our before-Thanksgiving feast. Ellie and Theodore are going to be cooking, and they always make the best foods."

"I'll ask," Cal said, a wicked grin on his face. He glanced back and met Alvin's gaze. In that brief moment, Alvin could see it. Cal was just playing Brittany for a fool, all to get to his enemy. The chipmunk tapped Simon on the shoulder, but Cal turned away and put on a more real-looking smile before Simon could look.

"What's wrong now?" was all Simon had to say, leaving Alvin to just point like an idiot at Cal. "So? What's wrong with that?" He tried his hardest to interpret what Alvin was saying, but he just didn't get why Alvin was pointing at his eyes and then at Cal's, and then at Brittany. "I'm going to give him another chance…" Alvin kept shaking his head. "Look, just wait until later and write it down, ok? I have no idea what you're saying."

That was the first time anyone had just decided to ignore him since he'd lost his voice. Simon didn't even bother trying to think of anything else Alvin could be saying. The whole world was going on around him and he wasn't even a part of it. The people behind him didn't even notice that two of the Chipmunks were right in front of them and the people in front of them were Goth teens that really didn't like the peppiness of the Chipmunks anyway. And his own brother was ignoring him, Brittany was clinging to his enemy, and Jeanette was trying to make nice with her sister and convince her sister that it was wrong to cut her hair (while Cal kept saying that she should be grateful because the cut made her look cuter).

"Alvin, why don't you sit in our row?" Brittany said sweetly as she slid in the first row. "I haven't had much time to…em, chat with you in a while, so it'd be fun to ride this between my two best guy-friends." Alvin just rolled his eyes, not caring which row he sat in.

"That screeching sound hasn't stopped," Jeanette moaned as she sat in the middle of the second row.

"Don't be such a baby, Jeanette."

"I'd feel safer if they stopped and checked to make sure that this ride is still ok…"

"Don't worry," Simon whispered. "If we crash, you have her to cushion you."

"Yeah, but what about Alvin?" The car climbed slowly, and they found themselves making light conversation as they waited for the drop.

"You're one of the Chipettes, aren't you?" the girl on the other side of Jeanette said. "Jeanette, right? You're my favorite."

"What about me?" Brittany complained.

"Sorry, I just like girls that don't seem to mind how they look as much. It's better for everyone's self-esteem to know that it's ok to not be perfect."

"And this is Simon," Jeanette said sweetly, pointing.

"Nice to meet you…Wait…That means…" She snatched Alvin's cap. "You're Alvin! Oh, I'm so sorry that you had to lose your voice…I hope you'll be ok." He smiled and nodded as he tried to snatch it back. The cars prevented anyone from turning around, but the arms were still free. She laughed as she put it back on him. He had just reached up to adjust it when the nose of the car peeked over the top. As soon as the full first two cars were over (out of the three cars that made up the whole thing), they all heard something that made their hearts sink. A large SNAP, and the cars were soaring down the track.

Alvin's hat slipped from his hands as Jeanette and Brittany broke out in a sort of howl-scream that deafened everyone. Simon was sitting over in his corner doing calculations about how fast they were going, even though he had to pull his glasses off his face to keep from losing them (he grabbed Jeanette's while he was at it). Screams of terror, not pleasure, howled out from the whole entire group. Well, the ones that could scream.

"Oh no…" Eleanor yelped as she jumped up from the bench. "I hope that's not their car!" She grabbed Theodore's hand as they darted for the growing crowd. Dave followed, his eyes wide with worry, when Alvin's hat floated down into his hands. "It is theirs…isn't it?"

"I think so," he gulped, reaching down to pull the youngest two into a hug as they trembled.

"Get the other cars off the tracks! I don't care how!" they heard someone shouting as he cut through the crowd. "Pass it on! Pass it on!" Soon the entire crowd was echoing his wishes to 'get the other cars off the tracks'.

"What's going on?" Theodore whimpered.

"The breaks broke," Dave replied quietly. "If they don't get those other cars off of there then the one that's going around will crash into them. It's a good thing they were only running three and that last one there was a test run."

"Attention, attention!" called out from the speaker that normally played the rules of the ride. "I can confirm that the breaks are broken, so that car that's going around now won't slow down through the use of breaks, but it can coast to a stop if we give it room. Everyone, please back away so we can get the other cars off the tracks." Half the park was there now, but still they managed to back up enough. "We have less than a minute."

"Sir, the speaker is still on."

"Crap! Turn it off! We don't need to worry the parents anymore!" Simon, back in the car, was finishing his calculations.

"We're going to ride this backwards."

"Is that all you can say?" Jeanette found herself screaming over the wind, surprised they could hear each other. "Isn't there any way to stop it?"

"We just have to…ride it out…" He was starting to feel horribly sick. "See you on the other side." He laughed at his bad attempt at a joke. Jeanette rubbed his shoulder, but all he wanted was to be on solid ground. Cal was trying to handle Brittany's crazed screaming while holding down his lunch. Alvin took his chance to wrap his arms around her and pull her close and comfort her, seeing as he didn't feel the least bit sick yet.

The whole group grew ominously silent as it climbed the second to last hill (one that was just two feet shorter than the first one for some stupid reason). "We're not gonna make it over," the fan-girl whispered. "Please let us not make it over!"

"I hate to say it, but we're making it over," Simon gulped. "Not only that, but it's going to give us enough momentum to almost climb that big hill all over again. This last hill is the steepest, remember? The only thing that kept this ride safe enough to ride was its so-called state of the art breaks. We're riding this whole thing at least once more…backwards." The girl was the first to let out a scream, a good seven seconds before they slid down the other side. Then everyone else howled out their fears. The other car was just rolled off the tracks like rubble and the guys who rolled it over leaped off into the pond on the other side.

"Well folks, we can say that they're going to come to a stop sometime," the loudspeaker called as they soared up the other hill. "The matter is when and between which two hills. I promise you, your friends and family will be safe. Maybe a little motion-sick when they get off, but they'll be fine in the end."

"I bet Simon knows when and where," Theodore whispered, clinging tightly to Dave's leg. Everyone that had been in line had been sent back to find their families, and there was still no sign of the chipmunks.

"I'm going to try one last thing, just in case they're out here looking," Dave said, detaching Theodore and running for the office. "Let me borrow the speaker."

"What?" the manager yelped. "I'm sorry sir, I can't let you…"

"I'm David Seville, and I want to know if my sons are on that ride or not."

"The…the Chipmunks?"

"Alvin and Simon, yes. And Brittany and Jeanette from the Chipettes." The speakers were in his hand in a second.

"This is terrible publicity…you're not going to sue are you? Oh, please don't! I mean…the park should'a known better, but don't blame me! I just try to make sure it's working…I just got on shift when this happened Mr. Seville-Sir…"

"Calm down, we won't hold you responsible. We'll hold the park responsible." He flicked the switch to turn the speaker on. "If anyone sees Alvin or Simon from the Chipmunks, please direct them to the…third bench over from the entrance on the right. We're waiting for them. Also, watch for Brittany and Jeanette Miller from the Chipettes. Please, please. If they're not on the ride, make sure they find us."

"The boss is gonna fire me all the same…" the guy was still whining when Dave flipped the switch off.

"Calm down. It's your boss that should be fired for running this death trap. If I'd known it was this dangerous I'd have never let them go anywhere near it." He glanced out the window as the car soared backwards over the hill that was second from the first before climbing part-way up the other side. "Please let them not be on it…" He clenched Alvin's hat tightly in his fist.

"Here we go again," Simon gulped as they scooted up the half of the biggest hill. "We're going to come back again…I'm surprised we didn't crash into that other hill instead of going up it. It's way to steep…" He yelped as they soared back down and as a realization his him. It was at about 120 degrees, so as long as they were going at a certain speed they'd just have that uncomfortable jolt before scooting back up it. There were no breaks for anything, so the car was like sliding on ice in a friction-less world. Well, not friction-less. They were going to slow down some more when the climbed they big hill again.

"What's wrong?" Jeanette gasped as they reached the up-side of the steep hill again.

"If we don't get enough speed, we'll crash right into this hill on the return. But I have no idea how we can increase our speed…Unless…" He glanced back over his shoulder, taking in who was behind him. They were mostly skinny teens, save one pudgy looking man. "We have to jolt the car when we go over the hill and pick up some speed."

Jeanette nodded, tapping her sister's shoulder. "Could you scream for us, one more time?" Brittany rubbed the tears from her eyes as she pushed herself away from Alvin. She'd screamed herself to the point where she was about to pass out.

"Scream what?"

"For everyone to put their weight into this as we go over," Simon told her. "Like…like white water rafting when you get stuck on a flat rock. Bounce a little…only word that better please."

"Hey! Listen up! You need to bounce a little when we go over this hill so we can pick up some speed on the way down!"

"We don't want to keep going!" someone shouted back. "We want to stop!"

"Tell them they need to pick up speed if they don't want to crash into this hill on the return trip." She relayed the message, adding her own message after it.

"This is coming from Simon! You know, the Chipmunk? The smart scientist prodigy guy?" There was some inaudible noise, but she got mostly nods. "On the way down now!" They all did as they'd been told and they could easily feel the car picking up speed as they soared down and over the last hill. Jeanette latched onto Simon's hand as the car started up the big hill again.

"We'll make it," he whispered. "We have too…" He turned a little as they started down, holding his free hand up to motion for them to bounce some more so that they could pick up even more speed.

"Folks, it's just been determined that if they don't hit that hill at a certain speed…" the announcer started. "What? They're…picking up speed? They should be going slower!" There was a small cheer from the crowd. "Quiet!" Silence. Everyone watched and waited, tourists keeping their video cameras trained on the scene. America's youngest musical sensations were on that ride.

Brittany buried her face back in Alvin's shoulder, but Jeanette pried her away. "You'll break your neck when we hit the hill if you do that," she warned. Then they were flying again. Back to the hill…They didn't even bother screaming now, until they were up and propelled over the other side. Then it wasn't just them but the entire crowd that was howling with joy. Brittany put her hands on her head as the world spun around her. This was way too much of this ride.

"We'll stop on this side of the big hill," Simon shouted, still trying to hold down his lunch. "We won't go far enough up for it to propel us over the other hill again." He slapped his hands over his mouth as they went backwards over the almost-upside-down right turn and were then jolted back upright just as quickly. Finally the car found a stopping place right where he had predicted. As soon as they were motionless, he leaned forward and rested his head against the lap-bar.

"Are you going to be ok?" Jeanette asked, rubbing his back. Her world was spinning a little, but she didn't feel as bad as Simon looked.

"The sooner we get down the better I'll feel better when…we…oh! Here's your glasses back." He held up one of his fists, getting a giggle out of her as she took them back.

"Thanks. The last thing I need is to lose my glasses. I'd run into everything without them."

"Don't we have the same prescription?"

"More or less."

"H-hey," they heard Cal stuttering. "Is she ok? I mean…she looks awful…" Alvin glared up at him, pointing at the bully.

"Alvin!" Simon scolded as he looked up to see what Cal was talking about. "He had no way of knowing the breaks would snap like that. This thing is really worn down though, I have to say. None of the stoppers were working…But I'm not expert on roller coasters. I may know a lot of things, but I've never read a book about how roller coasters work."

"Brittany," Jeanette was whispering as she rubbed her sister's back with her other hand. Their fan was giving Alvin a shoulder massage to calm him down while they all focused on Brittany. "She needs water. She's overheated. I told her it didn't make sense wearing such warm clothes today, but she said it was what was in right now. She's so stupid sometimes." Alvin kept up rubbing her shoulder while keeping his shoulders far enough forward for the massage. The fan's shoulder rubs were very comforting.

"Hey!" someone was shouting. "Are the Chipmunk boys up there?"

"Yeah!" someone shouted. "Simon saved us!" Jeanette's eyes were on the person that was talking to them, but she felt Simon's back shaking with quiet laughter.

"He'll be so relieved." That got Simon's attention.

"Who?" he whispered, starting to shout but curling back up to hold down his lunch.

"Who?" the fan-girl asked in his place.

"Their dad!" the person on the ground shouted up. "He's so worried about them."

"They're just fine!" The person ran off, not even bothering to leave them with any instructions.

"Now we wait," Jeanette sighed. It wasn't too long before a lift came by and took the passengers down one at a time, starting in the front. Alvin was first, and he leaped right into Dave's arms as they waited for the others. Brittany was second, with Eleanor waiting with some water to share. Cal was harder to get down, but he still came (doting on Brittany as soon as he was on the ground).

"Thank you Cal," she was whispering. "You're such a sweetheart."

"And Alvin didn't do anything at all," Jeanette hissed at her because she was on the ground by then. "Only let you hang onto him and dig your manicured nails into his arm." Brittany didn't even notice. Cal was looking after her now and that was what counted. Not what had happened on the crazy ride. Simon didn't even bother stopping to talk with anyone before he made a mad dash for the nearby restrooms. A few others followed suit, most just sat down on the concrete to get a feel for solid ground again.

"Feeling better?" Theodore asked when Simon practically came crawling back.

"I'm ready to go home," he laughed back.

"I don't have anything against that. Alvin?" Alvin shook his head, and the Chipettes were in agreement too. They'd had enough for one day.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Sounds like some adventure," the psychiatrist mumbled as he read Alvin's three page summary of the whole ordeal. It had taken half of the session for him to write it even though he was going at what seemed like a hundred miles a minute in the excitement of getting it all down. "What's this about Cal though? You mention him so many times…first that he came, which is normal, but then you go into detail about how Brittany was hanging on him, the glare he gave you, how she was clinging to him as soon as you guys were on the ground…this seems like a big part of your story."

Alvin cocked his head to one side in wonder.

"I mean, if I asked your brother what it was like, he'd probably tell me about how Jeanette was reacting, about what sorts of equations were going through his mind when he figured out the speed you'd need to get over that hill, and then he'd probably go into detail about how you were acting just because he knows that the whole reason I'd be asking would be because of you. Don't worry, I won't. I'm just stating a fact. Anyway, do you still feel up to writing?" Alvin shook his head. "Alright! Card games it is."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"So how was it?" Dave asked after the session.

"I think he's got it fixed in his head that other people are to blame for his problems, but not on purpose. Like, with Brittany. He feels like she's abandoned him for his bitter enemy, the guy that gave his brother a black eye. He's convinced that Cal's out to get him. He also mentioned something about getting brushed off for the first time. Watch that, try not to ignore him. Now that he can't talk, his words are more important than ever."

"Ok…aren't you supposed to keep all that a secret?"

"His healing process takes an entire family and then some. I'll only tell you what you need to know and keep an eye on. Oh, and I'm sorry about the park suggestion."

"Don't worry about it. We'd have ended up going anyway. They're the most persistent kids ever, and they know what they want."


	14. Chapter 14

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Just for a little side-mention, Britt is supposed to be out of character. It's what makes the story work the way it does. But for anyone who's worried about that, it all wraps up in the end, I promise. Just keep reading and bear with it. Anyway, here's the big moment, this chapter. But I shouldn't give anything away. Hee-hee ).

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young. Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 14:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 14

The day before Thanksgiving. A very cursed day for Alvin, considering he was stuck sitting in the living room listening to Brittany and Cal talk about the musical, Simon and Jeanette talk about honors classes, and Dave and Miss Miller talk about boring adult stuff. Theodore and Eleanor were in the kitchen making dinner, turning away any offers for help. Alvin had no way of escaping from his invisibility. He wasn't even allowed to turn the TV on to entertain himself.

He'd never felt so invisible before. He hadn't missed the fact that his psychiatrist had told Dave not to ignore him, but there they all were again sitting around and not paying even the littlest bit of attention to him. Even the news had died down, not seeming to care anymore. Anyone that saw them walking in the streets would smile and wave, saying "that's the Chipmunks, boy were they a great group." Everyone had given up on him and it hadn't been more than a month. He hopped off the couch and headed for the kitchen.

"Ellie, could you get me…" Theodore started to say, but Eleanor already had what he needed in her hands. They laughed as they balanced everything they were carrying while they headed for the counter to put the salads together. It wasn't going to be a Thanksgiving dinner, just a big family dinner. Salad appetizer, roast beef entrée, and there was a pumpkin pie and an apple pie all ready to go into the oven for desert. He ran over and caught some tomatoes before they hit the floor

"Hi Alvin," Eleanor greeted. "We've got everything under control now, thanks. Why don't you go hang out with everyone and wait for us to call you in for dinner?" Alvin shook his head, offering the tomatoes to his brother and pointing frantically about as he tried to say 'let me help.'

"That's ok," Theodore said. "We've got everything together. Just go relax." He sighed as his own baby brother turned him away, putting on a forced smile as he turned to leave again. Instead of going back to the den however, he dashed up the stairs. Half of him hoped that they'd notice and call him back down, the other half just wanted to curl up in the bedroom. The second half got its wish.

He turned on the TV Dave had let them keep, even after Alvin had gotten his stitches out. But they had all had to promise not to fight because of the TV. If someone wanted to do something else that was noisier or quieter they could just go somewhere else. They'd all promised, but now Alvin had it all to himself. The channel that Simon had apparently been watching last was the News.

"Thanksgiving is tomorrow, already," the lady behind the desk said. "It seems like New Year's was just yesterday and here we are counting our blessings again."

"I know what I'm thankful for," the man beside her said. "I'm grateful for my house with its air conditioning and heater, my wife and my kids, and that meal she's making us tomorrow."

"You know, I think that the charity for the homeless shouldn't just be held around Christmas time. And that's our next headline. The homeless of LA and their Thanksgiving." The camera changed to someone who was standing on some street corner.

"We know they're there, we feel pity for them, we rally together around Christmas to help them. But what do we really do for them? They're still living on the streets, starving for food, left behind in our fast-paced world. Well, many of them have some sort of mental disability, and that's one reason we don't go near them. But the ones that don't are rallying together this year, both for themselves and the ones that can't." She walked down the street a little ways to where a woman in ragged clothing was waiting. "Now, you said you'd talk on TV?"

"And you kept your promise to bring the camera!" the woman exclaimed. "Yes, yes. I'll tell ya' everything. Now, you haff'ta remember our life isn't one to wish for, it's no good. No good. But now more than evah it's more bearable. Even if we scrape the bottom of life, some people do take pity. There's a little angel, and we call her an angel though most run when they see her face, that's been lookin' out for us as of late."

"A little angel?"

"Yes, a brave little genius girl. She looks after us, she's gonna be a doctah some day. The doctah promised her that, but we don't put much faith in him. No, we'll get her there. She deserves the best, poor thing, what with her awful life behind her. She's an angel…no, a phoenix. She escaped the flames that tried to kill her back when she lived in Europe and now she's come here from her Broadway life to follow her dear 'ol friend, the doctah I mentioned before, the one that saved her from the flames."

"Ok, so if I'm following this right, there's a little girl that ran away from a harsh life, left behind a life on Broadway, and came here? Why doesn't she go live with the doctor?"

"She can't, he can't. He always says she's free and she'll leave someday like the bird she might as well be, and she's always sayin' that as soon as she gets a nice comfy home she has'ta leave again. So she said she'd do what she can for us, the little dear. She's a doctor already, coming up with a free medicine to keep us well. And she's our little shrink, and she don't care if yah rich o' poor, she'll help yah if you can help us folk here. She's mighty good at that too, and then there's the times when she sings us a song and it's just like them lullabies that all our mum's sung to us when we were little. Then all the rest of the time she's helpin' us to find the food and lookin' for some merciful soul to spare some change for our sake. She keeps a change box where she collects it all and tomorrow she says she's gonna go to that doctah and have him buy us a feast, those of us that hang around her den."

"Den? Oh, never mind that. If anyone is kicked out of their home or finds themselves in your situation, would you recommend they come to her?"

"O' course! She'll take in anyone, so long as they work for their keep. Keep the den clean, come and go as you please, bring back some change now and again, and make sure you don't get too greedy. It's a coarse life, but it's like those of the early set'lers of this here country. Poor and splitting a meal that most people now-a-days would see as barely enough to feed a four-person family. But we manage. Yes, we survive."

"Do you want all of LA to help you, too?"

"Yes, oh yes. If they want to help us, our angel still cannot give us a real bed to sleep on or new clothes every time our jackets get a hole in them. If they can, we ask that they get together and make a nice big home for us. A place where we can go in the winter or take those that won't survive out here in the streets. There's a great many of us, and any help is appreciated."

"Thank you miss…"

"Sophie. Sophie's my name."

"Thank you." The news-woman turned back to her camera. "Folks, we have more than enough to be grateful for. You know it, I know it. If you can help them, please. You heard what they want. They picked Sophie to talk to me, out of all of the ones around this street. They are mostly sane; a few are on the edge. She's their spokesperson, and if you see her on the street she'll be more than willing to answer your questions. All they want is a warm bed and a new jacket. They already have the one thing they are most grateful for: each other."

Alvin switched off the TV and hopped off of his bed, peeking in his drawer to see where he'd been stashing money. He hadn't had anything to spend his money on since school started, and that included candy and ice cream and junk food. He'd put himself on a diet early on because of Brittany's complaining about how fat he was going to get if he kept eating like a pig. He pulled it out and counted. Dave always gave them a little bit of the profit from their performances, put some in their banks, and paid all the bills with the rest. Counting it up, he discovered he had managed to collect just over a thousand dollars. His eyes grew wide the more the numbers added up. It was amazing….not spending any money and he'd managed to save that much.

"Hey Seville," Cal sneered from the doorway. "What's up?" Alvin slammed the drawer shut. "Hiding something? Heh, I'd take your money but I'm not a bully anymore. Now, if you were to give some of it to me…That would be mighty nice of you, wouldn't it? I mean, my mother's been pretty mad and she hasn't been giving me much to eat. It'd be nice to have a few more meals in my life so my muscle mass doesn't drop."

Alvin stayed firm against the dresser. "No? Oh! I've been meaning to ask, how have things been? You know, the bills and all. I've noticed that your dad makes sure every electronic thing that doesn't need to be on isn't on. And that sad look he's always got…And I'm going to guess those papers that were so poorly hidden were probably late bills of some sort. Awful, isn't it? The world loves the Chipmunks, all three of you. Now only two of you can sing, and you know they're going to have to get back on stage soon, with or without you."

"Cal?" he heard Brittany downstairs. "Is he up there?"

"Yeah!" Cal called back down, then lowered his voice again. "You're losing importance, Runt. They don't worry about you anymore. They probably just want you to go away to get rid of the problems you're presenting. I mean, you're just a dead weight now. Heh, just saying. Oh, and the salads are ready and the roast beef is almost done. Your dad says you need to wash up." Alvin waited until Cal was out of sight before slipping his money out of the drawer and putting some of the bills under his hat, some in his pockets, and even more yet in his shoes. There just wasn't enough room for all the bills. In one last desperate move to hide his cash from his tormentor, he ran to his bed and stuffed it into his pillowcase.

That done, he hurried out of the room and down the stairs. "What's his deal anyway?" he heard Brittany saying. "I mean, where does he get off doing something like that?"

"He probably just feels so ignored," Cal sighed. "It's a shame; he was everyone's idol all across the states too." Alvin held his breath for a moment. What had Cal said about him?

"Are you sure he stole money from someone?" Simon asked. "He could have just saved it."

"Come on, I'm your guys' ex-enemy and I know him better than that. He's not the kind of guy to just save that much money."

"He hasn't been spending it on anything," Theodore recalled. "Except those cookies he bought me the week before the concert, when I was sick. He never did ask for a favor after that…"

"I'd give him the benefit of the doubt," he heard Eleanor saying. Apparently Dave and Miss Miller were in the dining room setting out all the place settings.

"Do what you want," Cal laughed. "Just keep an eye on him. It'd be a terrible shame if he became the next school bully."

"Alvin? A bully?" Jeanette giggled. "No offense Cal, but he loves his brothers too much to be a bully."

"Hey, you aren't the only kids in the school. Bullies come in all forms. Believe me, I know. I was one of them."

"But you're completely clean now, right?" Brittany cheered.

"Alvin?" Dave said, making the oldest jump (and all the kids in the den).

"Do you think he heard us?" he heard one of them whispering.

"I hope not," he made out Simon's whisper. "That was a really bad conversation for him to pick up on."

"Go on ahead and sit down everyone," Miss Miller announced. "Time for dinner."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Alvin found himself frantically searching the bedroom after dinner for his money. Cal had gone to the 'bathroom' in the middle, and Alvin didn't want to look suspicious so he had waited until everyone was downstairs playing some game. He'd declined playing it to go make sure Cal hadn't looted any of his money. The cash in his pillow case was flat out gone.

He shook his head, pulling all the money he had stashed on himself out and putting it in one of the clean socks in his drawer before taking that and finding a place to stash it in the closet (a place where they usually only put their special clothes for special shows). With that he embarked on a quest to see if maybe Cal had just moved it to try to frame him for stealing. As he looked about, he found something that was definitely out of place. A wallet was sitting on the dresser. He paused, taking the time (quite a long time) to do the math in his head.

He had had one thousand and twelve dollars; he had stashed a good eight hundred of that in some pocket or such. That left around two hundred and twelve dollars missing (he actually went and counted up the money in the sock, finding the total of what was missing was exactly two hundred and forty-three dollars). He glanced tentatively at the wallet, peeked out of the room and listened for a moment. Their laughter echoed up the stairs. He snatched up the wallet and counted out the money in it. Exactly two hundred and forty-three dollars were nestled in it.

"I knew it!" Cal exclaimed, jumping out of Dave's room. Alvin fell over backwards. When had Cal come upstairs? Alvin shook his head, throwing the wallet down and pointing at Cal, then at the wallet, a death glare in his eyes. "You were going to take that money, weren't you?" Alvin shook his head madly, backing up into the foot of his bed as the Chipettes peeped around the corner. "Yeah right! Then why were you looking for it?" Alvin tried desperately to sign out that he was looking to see whose it was, but it didn't work out that way (it turned into looking more like he was pointing at himself and saying it was his money).

"Alvin," Brittany scolded. "That's Cal's, not yours! He must have left it there when…" She was cut off as her sisters wrapped their hands around her mouth.

"Give him a chance!" Jeanette criticized. "We can't even understand what he's trying to say. Let him write the situation down for us!" Cal rolled his eyes, smirking to himself as the little spat attracted everyone else. Alvin, in a hurry to prove his innocence, went and grabbed his handy, always-near notebook and started scribbling down everything.

'I haven't spent any money at all in a long time. I haven't needed anything. So I've just been gathering my allowance and the money Dave gives us from the shows and I had no idea I was getting so much…but when I counted it today it was over a thousand dollars. Then when I went to get it from where I hid it, there was only about eight hundred.'

"That has nothing to do with the wallet," Cal snapped, trying desperately to make the family look down on his enemy.

'I was looking around to see if maybe I just remembered wrong as to where I put it and I saw the wallet there and I didn't know whose it was so I was looking to see if there was anything inside.'

"That's why you were counting the money."

"Enough!" Dave said, glare on his face. "I think it's high time everyone went home. Cal, take your wallet and please leave." Alvin's eyes got huge as he shook his head. "Something wrong?"

'He saw me counting my money before dinner and then the money just suddenly disappears? The money in there is the exact amount that's missing!'

"Alvin doing math?" Simon whispered from behind Dave.

"So you were going through the money," Cal sneered, trying to prove his case.

'Yes, but only out of wonder. I heard what you said earlier! You're trying to turn them all against me!' Cal was the first to get a hold of the notebook and he laughed out loud as he ripped the page out and handed it to Dave.

"He's lost his mind. I've gone straight and he just can't handle it. It is good brotherly love, I suppose. He's probably so paranoid because he's worried about his brothers, but that's just overboard, thinking I'd steal. If I got caught doing something like that then I'd be sent off to military school. Besides, I earned all that money at my job."

"Oh! That's right!" Brittany chimed back in. "He works up at that burger place. He got me a free meal there last week." Alvin glared.

"See?" Theodore tried to clear things. "It's all just coincidence, misunderstanding…" He looked around at everyone, taking in all the angry faces. They were all fighting again. Everyone seemed split on who they backed. While Simon and Jeanette seemed to be looking for the truth, Dave looked as though he just wanted to run away and not deal with it and Brittany was dead set with Cal.

"Can everyone just go home now?" Dave finally said. "Everything's clear now, right?" Nods all around, except for Alvin. But everyone quickly picked up on the hint and disappeared downstairs. "Alvin, you have to stop seeing just the bad side of people. He's trying really hard to be good now, give him the benefit of the doubt, ok? We'll help you look for your money tomorrow. Get some rest, you look exhausted."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

He'd noticed it getting more and more common, that brushing off thing they were doing. Sure, he was still first pick in sports, but that didn't mean people turned to him for anything other than to run the fastest or to do some gymnastics move that dazzled everyone. But now his own family…Dave had just sent him to bed with no other excuse. He crept downstairs to find that his brothers had been allowed to watch TV while Dave did some paperwork…paperwork that just happened to look an awful lot like bills.

"So how bad is it?" Simon asked, bored with Theodore's food channel.

"How bad is what?" Dave replied.

"The bills. Don't pretend that those aren't bills." Alvin pressed his back up against the wall. "So how bad is it?"

"We're going to be tight this month…With the hospital bills, the leftover bills from the concert, then there's all the staff that's complaining about how the concert turned out…on top of all the regular bills." Simon went over and climbed up on the arm of the chair, soon followed by Theodore who climbed up on the other side.

"Is there anything we can do?"

"I can have a bake sale," Theodore offered.

"You don't have to do that," Dave laughed. "We're fine for now. We still have the savings account, though I really don't want to touch it. That's all set aside for your colleges. I'm just worried about how we'll be if…" He trailed off. He didn't want to say it.

"If Alvin doesn't get his voice back," Simon finished for him.

"It won't be fair having you two sing without him. Not to him."

"It's not fair that this even happened to him," Theodore cried.

"We'll just have to find a way to work through it."

"You…you don't think he actually has been taking money, do you? I mean…Cal was so insistent on his point of view…"

"He's just trying to find fault," Simon concluded. "I mean, he'd probably love to see Alvin get in trouble after that whole ordeal. He may be trying to be good, but he can't deny what he spent most of his life being. He's the kind of person that would love revenge."

"Alvin may be obnoxious sometimes, but he's still a great brother, right?" Dave reminded. "He'd never do something like that. He's too good." Alvin sighed at that, feeling relief that Dave didn't think he was a thief. "But as for his voice…If he doesn't get it back soon, the Chipmunks will probably be no more." His heart sank.

"We could sing, just the two of us," Theodore offered shakily. "He'd understand…it'd hurt…it'd hurt all of us, but at least it would pay the bills."

"I couldn't make you guys sing just to pay the bills. The whole reason I wanted to get you guys on the air in the first place way back when was because I wanted you guys to enjoy yourselves…and, yes, I guess to pay the bills too. But you all have talent and it's been fun, right?"

"Really fun!"

"Exhausting at times," Simon laughed, "But fun. Yeah." Alvin glanced up the stairs, wondering. The psychiatrist had said that maybe it was just the way his life was that he couldn't get his voice back. It was going to take some changes before he'd feel safe and secure enough to talk again. He couldn't let his family end up back in some log cabin freezing in the winters without even a Christmas tree because of him. No, he needed to find out why he couldn't talk on his own. If it was mental, he had to find out why.

He darted up the stairs silently, putting his money in his backpack. '…and she's our little shrink, and she don't care if yah rich o' poor, she'll help yah if you can help us folk here. She's mighty good at that too…' ran through his mind over and over again. He had the money for her, and then Dave wouldn't have to pay up any more money to that stupid shrink. Besides, a change of pace would hopefully be just what he needed. And if he couldn't get his voice back, he wasn't coming back. They didn't need someone leeching off them and holding them down. It was just like Cal said. He was a burden now. He wasn't going to continue living like that.

'Don't spend too much money worrying about me, ok? I'll be back when I can talk again, and not a day sooner. This way you guys can still sing without me being around to mope about it and you can keep paying the bills. And maybe, just maybe, this special shrink is just what I need.' He placed the note on Simon's pillow (knowing that would be the easiest way to get Simon's attention) as he quickly changed his clothes and packed a quick get-a-way pack. He put a change of clothes, his pajamas, his jacket, a handful of candy, and a notebook and mechanical pencil and lead on top of the money. With one last glance around his room, he waved farewell and pushed the window open.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"He…DAVE!" Simon screamed as he and Theodore read the note. Dave had sent them to bed, saying he had to finish filling out some paperwork.

"What happened?" Dave called through heaving breaths when he'd finished his run up the stairs.

"Alvin's gone!" Dave fell to his knees, reading the note in Simon's hands without even bothering to take it. "He must have heard us talking…"

"Dave?" Theodore said bravely as he tried to hold back his tears, putting his hand on his dad's shoulder.

"We were ignoring him again, weren't we?" Dave said, a bit of an unhappy laugh in his voice. "If we'd just paid more attention to him then he wouldn't have thought…thought that this was the best way. I don't care about the money…"

"I think somewhere he knows that," Simon sighed as he glanced over Alvin's bed. "He just…forgot, I guess…" He didn't even bother hiding his tears. What was Alvin thinking? That was the stupidest move ever! "Are we going to get the police?"

"That would be the smartest thing to do…but even if they find him, they'll peg him as a bad kid for running away. You know how crazy people are getting these days." Dave finally got up, going and sitting on Alvin's empty bed. "No, they can't help us. We have to find him ourselves, we have to be the ones to bring him home. He'll never be able to accept anything if it's anyone but us…"

"What about the Chipettes?" Theodore asked, jumping up beside him.

"Yeah, them too. He needs the people he cares about most to remind him how much they care about him. We'll bring him home, before Christmas."

"What about school? And the musical?"

"You can't skip school…we can't raise too much suspicion. If it leeks to the media we're toast. They'll barbeque us…and then they'll get the whole town out hunting for him just because they'll all want their fifteen minutes of fame. I can't let that sort of emotional pressure reach him, not now. No, we have to keep this secret from as many people as possible." He wrapped his arms around the two, holding them close as Alvin darted through the night to find the so-called angel of the streets of LA.


	15. Chapter 15

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Hm...Good guessing last bunch of reviews. Anyone, for those who remember back a few chapters, today is where it all ties together. Enjoy everyone, and keep reviewing. The reviews are so entertaining.

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young (they mostly signed it because they want to see family-quality cartoons back on TV, but it's still signatures). Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 15:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 15

Alvin hadn't had much trouble getting down from the tree without being noticed. All the curtains were drawn shut on the first floor. Once he was down, he had darted down the street, watching for the darkest side-street he could find. The streetlamps were going to give him away as soon as they realized he was gone, so he had to think fast. Unfortunately, the entire area was lit up. And he had no clue which way it was to the part of LA that he had to get to.

He paused to glance at the Chipette's house when he came to it, ducking around in the shadows of their backyard just in case they were looking out the window. Brittany's complaints carried down to him, and he smirked a little at the hilarity of it.

"Brittany!" Eleanor was shouting back. "You don't own the world! Just one show didn't make you the center of everything!"

"So?" Brittany replied as she sat on the windowsill and let the November breeze run through her hair. "Someday we will be. Then we can get real boys."

"I like Theodore!"

"Sure, he's adorable, but so pathetic. And Simon! Ugh!"

"Watch it!" Jeanette replied. "Brittany, I can't even stand you anymore. I'm sleeping in the living room."

"Wait," Eleanor interrupted. "Why don't we make Brittany sleep down there? I mean, there's two of us that don't want to share a room with her anymore."

"If that's how you want it then!" Brittany shouted.

"It is! You're so cold-hearted Brittany! I can't stand you anymore! Go get a heart, then you can come back."

"Fine!" Alvin shook his head as he slipped away. He agreed with her sisters. She'd been turning more and more evil since the concert. But it had gotten much worse after she hooked up with Cal. She needed a flat-out awakening. Her sisters were trying, but so long as she was clinging to Cal she was going to be stuck up.

That was, until he got sent to military school and she was left with everyone hating her. Too bad. He didn't even really care anymore. Well, he couldn't say that exactly. He did care about her, that would never change, but right now he just hated everything she was. Perhaps she'd get her emotions back when she found out he'd left?

He leaped over the fence, falling right into a bed of some sort of flowers. Quickly, he took off through that back yard (that person had a barking dog inside) and climbed over the next fence. Once there, he cut over the back of their fence, slipping through that yard and back to a street. It was a decent distance from the road his house was on, so it was a good chance he could get away before they followed. He ran across the street, turning and running, making turns away from the roads he knew. He worked the map through in his head, wishing terribly that he had Simon's mind for just that one night.

The one street led to the school, and if he took a left turn (or right) down certain roads, then he'd end up back home. He used his hands draw an invisible map showing where the streets would take him. Running ahead some, he paused point right and work that one through. It would take him around and back to the Chipette's house, while left would take him someplace new. He took that.

It wasn't too long before he noticed the tall buildings of LA getting bigger and the suburb houses he was used to turning into to a normal California city. With a smile, he saw the sign that pointed him towards downtown LA. He calmed down, pulling his cap down as he walked along the sidewalks. People dodged him, staring in wonder as he walked. A few people stopped and said 'isn't that Alvin?' But what hurt him the most was the people that replied 'who cares?' That was going to change. He was going to find a way to put them back at the top.

"Stop! Thief!" Someone was shouting. He turned around to see, just in time to be thrown aside by some stereo-typical robber. He landed in the road, close to the middle. To protect himself, he ran to the yellow line. The robber was darting about, and Alvin had a clear view of the guy through the cars that were blaring at him.

At some point, he stopped in his tracks. A girl flew down from somewhere, reaching out with her clawed feet (at least, they looked clawed) to grab onto the back of the robber's coat and pull him to the ground. "She stopped them!" some kid shouted.

"Stay away from it!" the mother replied, dragging the kid away from whoever had just flown in. "It probably has lice and who knows what other diseases." Alvin knew the traffic wasn't going to stop just so he could get to the sidewalk and if he tried to cross through he'd probably get hit. But he wanted to meet this flying girl in her raggedy black pants and dark purple halter-top (because her wings were attached to her arms she couldn't just cut holes in the back of regular shirts).

He didn't have to wait long though before she noticed him. When she turned to face him, he almost fell where he was standing. Much like the rest of her body, her face was covered in a medium-light brown fur. The only thing that was different was her dark (and dark meant dark) golden-brown hair that was cut back at an angle with the longest parts coming no farther down than her chin. That was, all except the two long chunks that hung over her shoulders.

Now that she was facing him he could also see the large ears that she had previously had pressed back against her head. They stuck up as she listened to the world pass by. Then there were the glasses. They really rivaled Simon's in nerdiness, but they also suited her at the same time. They rested on a nose that resembled a chipmunk's nose, instead of being a bat's nose to match her bat wings. Even at that distance, though, he could tell there was a strap holding the glasses to her head instead of just the usual ear-pieces.

She only looked at him for a few seconds before flapping her wings and soaring over the cars to latch onto his bag with her claws. No, as she reached out, he noticed that they weren't claws at all. They were freaky-long toes (that did have sharp nails on the end, but certainly not claws). This girl didn't just have bat wings…she was a bat. A huge bat at that (even though she was just a little bit bigger than him, that was still huge for a bat). "Hang on tight!" she called down to him, her voice just slightly higher than Jeanette's. "If I grab onto your clothes you'll just slide right back to the streets, so hold onto the straps and give a shout if I'm hurting you." She soared up and glided down the street, people pointing like mad.

Alvin's arms grew really tired really quickly, but he had to hold his body up because if he relaxed he felt like he was choking. He also wondered what cave she'd been living in lately, seeing as he was the Alvin Seville that had lost his voice in front of everyone. She should have at least realized that. It took her a while before she finally turned towards the ground again. First she dropped him, then circled around for her own graceful landing. "So, what's your name?"

He glared at her as she pulled a pair of boots out from behind a dumpster. She rubbed her feet off and pulled a pair of socks on (a pair that had been stuffed down in the boots) before putting the boots on. "Well?" He pointed at the big 'A' on his shirt, then waved his cap about. "Can't you talk?" He shook his head. Who was this girl? "Um…I'm guessing your name starts with 'A'? You know, that's kind of conceited putting your first letter on your shirt like that…Wait…you're a chipmunk, aren't you? It's been so long since I've seen you guys at all, but I've never come near enough to…see…You're Alvin!"

He nodded, relieved she finally noticed. She smiled, stretching her arms over her head. After he got a good look around at where he was (which was really just some dumpy alley), she reached out her hand. "Come on, follow me. You'll boost moral back at the den." He grumbled on the inside. She sounded just like Simon with her 'boost moral' line. What a rip. He'd gotten saved by a girl form of his brother and a less-clumsy version of Jeanette. But when he looked at her golden eyes, he couldn't help but feel that he was missing something obvious about who she was.

He followed her anyway, figuring it would take someone who knew the streets to take her to the angel of the streets. "Ok, you have to keep this place top secret. The only reason I'm showing this to you is because they need you. They've never met a celebrity, so I figure this would be great for them seeing as Thanksgiving is tomorrow." He nodded, and was then dragged around a corner, through a blanket, down a really dark tunnel, and into a bright circle of people. The barrel in the center was lit up so that those who could read (the ones who had newspapers) could see what they were reading. Some couldn't though, either because they never learned how or because their minds were too far gone.

"Koda!" a familiar woman exclaimed, coming up and giving the child a hug. "Welcome back."

"How's everything been while I was gone?" the girl replied.

"Same as always."

"That's good…oh! Sophie, I'd like you to meet Alvin Seville from the Chipmunks."

"Oh my…What's a star like you doin' out on the streets t'night?" He shied away as she reached out to him. This was the lady that had been on the news earlier, but she seemed a lot creepier (and smellier) in person.

"Sophie, he can't talk. Remember? He still hasn't gotten his voice back."

"Oh…I'm sorry. We should get him home before his family starts worrying…" He shook his head some more, running out towards the other side of the 'campfire'. He pulled out his notebook and pencil and scribbled down why he was there and that he wasn't going back.

"What's it say Sophie?" Koda stayed a decent distance away, ready to fly him home if need be.

"He says he ain't goin' home 'till he gets his voice back."

"He wants to be one of us?" Alvin nodded.

"Koda," Sophie said. "Remember that show I put on earlier t'day? Well, I told 'em all about ya and how you ain't particulah to rich or poor and you'll help anyone if they help us."

"You…On the news? You put on a show about me? Sophie! They'll find me now! Great job!" Koda spun on her heels with a 'humph.' Alvin ran over, pulling out a few dollars and offering them to her. "Alright, Alvin, I'll help you. But this money of yours ain't going very…far…" She gasped as he pulled out the rest and pushed it into her arms. "That's…a lot…How much is here?"

'Around eight hundred. I tried to bring over a thousand, but someone stole some.'

"Um…" She glanced desperately over to Sophie, but the lady shook her head. With a sigh, Koda glanced back at the notebook and lost herself in thought. "How about this. There's a much better way to use this money. Instead, you're going to work for your keep." He stared blankly as she put his money in a pouch that she grabbed off some box. "You said you ain't going home until you get your voice back? Well, what I think is that you need to learn how to live without that voice. And we start tomorrow. Come on, you can bunk up with me."

He followed her into the basement of a decrepit building, cringing as the lights turned on. "I hooked this building up to the next one over, so their bills are up and they don't know why, but it takes care of my potions. I'm an Apothecary and a botanist of sorts and that needs special conditions. Sometimes when it gets too cold out we bring the oldest and youngest and sickest in here where the power is, but there's not enough room for all of them. Many rooms are cut off from the power, so it's mostly just this basement and some other floors way up. This is your room."

He glanced in. It had a cot and a flimsy mattress. On top was a blanket that held tons of holes. There was no pillow and no nothing else, save a radio looking thing on a broken cardboard box. "Got that from the doc on my last birthday. He said since this building had power I might as well have some music."

'I can't take your room!'

"Um…I'm going to go to bed now, so if you want to listen to some music please don't make it too loud. I've got sensitive ears. Well, I'll be waking you up in the morning! Sleep well. I'm going to teach you exactly how to fit in here tomorrow." He stared as she left his room, wondering if she'd even paused to read his notebook.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"What are we going to do?" Jeanette whispered back Simon the next morning as the boys called the Chipettes up. Brittany had been in too bad of a mood to pick up the third house phone, but that was ok. The news was better kept from her anyway right now.

"Today we're going out to look for him," Simon replied. "The only other people that can know are Miss Miler and Brittany. We think that it's best if we find him because that way he'll know that those who care about him haven't deserted him."

"Brittany has," Eleanor spat from her phone up in Miss Miller's room (while Miss Miller was downstairs making breakfast).

"So she's really lost it?" Theodore asked. "Wouldn't she tell Cal if she found out?"

"Maybe telling her will wake her up. I don't know. We'll be there with you today, even if we have to leave Brittany here alone. Miss Miller won't let us rest until we find him when she hears the news."

"Maybe Brittany will finally stand up for Alvin," Jeanette mused out loud.

"What are you talking about?" Simon asked her gently.

"Well, if she calls Cal it's no doubt Cal's going to want to boast about what he's done…see, I overheard him talking to Alvin, but I couldn't really hear anything other than what he was telling Alvin about his family…but it could have put some idea in Alvin's head, you know? So if Cal wanted revenge, then this is the perfect way to get it. So he'll probably want to boast about it, and maybe Brittany will finally wake up."

"We can only hope…" The girls heard Dave calling in the background. "We're going to head out. We're checking this area first, just in case he stayed close by. I doubt it, but we have to start somewhere."

"Good luck," Eleanor offered.

"You too, Ellie," Theodore replied.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Alvin stretched as he woke up, glancing about his surroundings. There wasn't a window in his room, but light was streaming in from the door. It was a faint light that came from an open door down the hall, so he quickly shut his door and flicked on the light to change. Once in his day-clothes he hurried out, only to be turned around as Koda shook her head. "No, no, no! That won't do. People'll peg ya as Alvin Seville in that get-up. No, you have to put on something else. Here." He had a moment to see that she had a white cloth draped around her shoulders, attempting to hide her wings.

With a sigh he shut his door again to change once more. This time it was a ragged pair of pants and random t-shirt. He topped off his ensemble with his usual hat, turning it around backwards for effect. "That's more like it." Now she let him come out and see their den during the day. The whole area was lit up with the sunlight while almost everyone he'd seen the night before (along with many others) had tools that they had found that someone else had thrown out. They were putting together what looked to him like a crude stage on one side. On the other (around where they had come in) they were building what looked like the sort of benches that would be found in an outdoor amphitheater.

He could see that there was a way to get to the place from above the little tunnel she had dragged him through the night before, but there was no way down (at the moment that is, there would be when the bleachers were complete). It probably led off to some alley that eventually led back to the streets. "No one knows how this got here, and nobody really even knows it's here," some guy told him. "That's what makes this the perfect den. You know, they could build up a nice building here if they filled this place in. Or they could just build the building. The basement is already dug out for them anyway."

"Don't fight with Sophie," Koda warned the guy, a 'we're leaving now' tone in her voice. "You two are in charge of getting this built. As for me…Alvin and I are going shopping for dinner." She shook the pouch she'd tossed Alvin's bills in. It jingled with change that had been put in there even before Alvin's money had been added. "Oh, Alvin, I'm so sore from carrying you yesterday. You don't suppose you could carry this for me, do you?" He reached out to take it, but the sudden weight surprised him and he almost dropped it. "There's over a hundred dollars in change in there, so be careful." His eyes were wide with surprise.

She led him back through the tunnel, which wasn't anywhere near as dark now, and out past the blanket that covered the other end. The whole thing had been on an incline and he was wiped out by the time they got through. They only had to climb a little more to get to the main alley and then she led him around through the backstreets of LA until they reached a grocery store. "Oh, here." She rubbed a bit of dirt into his fur. "We can't let on that you're a rich kid now, can we?"

They just walked right in with no hassle. The people around them dodged and made sure to keep a good distance. No one wanted to be near the bat-girl. They grabbed a cart and started through the aisles, taking turns pushing the thing as their arms got tired from reaching up. Koda grabbed certain things here and there, making sure everything was already pre-cooked. The only thing she got that would have to be cooked was something that could be made over the barrel-fires they had (and that was marshmallows for s'mores).

"S'mores is a rare treat, you know? Even though every night is a camp-out for us, we don't get the three square meals that camps always get. So what do you think? You don't mind if we make chicken salad do you? Oh! We'll need a can-opener and a bowl to mix it in." She giggled at his confused face. "Canned chicken. It's just like canned tuna, only it's chicken…and it's a bit bigger." She grabbed a set of bowls. "This feels almost like we're going back to a normal home, don't it? Um, can you write down the prices on this for me?"

Alvin started scribbling down the prices of everything she added to their cart, remembering that there was only about a hundred in change. She was probably planning on using his cash for the rest. "I'm going to need you to stay by the cart while I go up front and dump all the change into that machine so we can get bills to pay for this with." Again with the ignoring. This time he stopped her and pointed to it, and all he got was a blank stare in return. So he pulled out a few bills, waving them about in her face. "We're going to try not to use your money. I'm going to invest that into that show, once the stage built. You didn't think I was having them build it just to pass the time, did you? No, there's going to be a concert there someday."

So that's why she was having them build a stage and seats. They were going to put on a show for the homeless. He wondered how that would go over with the press…a free concert…He snapped his fingers. They could let in people through that little tunnel for each song, then escort them through the building to let them out. They'd see the lives that the homeless had close-up and they'd have the chance to donate.

"See? You're getting ideas already. You can write down your plan for Sophie to check over later. I put her in charge after all. But for now…can you please add up all those numbers? I'm afraid it has to be done by hand…We obviously don't have working calculators around. The only reason we have those boards are because we found them and they were just warped or cracked or usable in some way but just thrown out by stupid idiots. All the more for us I suppose. Oh! Hide!"

He ducked around the corner at her command, peeking back in his curiosity. Koda had on a bright smile as she clasped her hands behind her back. "Hey Doc," she greeted the man that came up to her.

"Don't you 'hey' me," he scolded as he crossed his arms. "Where's my hug?" She giggled and leaped up into his arms. "How've you been Batty?"

"It's Koda now, remember?"

"Right. Cassidy Batty Koda…What a name. Ever going to settle on one or all?"

"Probably not." Alvin stared in shock as it set in that the doctor was Dr. Nate Dell. That meant that the 'doctah' Sophie had mentioned was the same doctor that had operated on him. He was really starting to dislike coincidences. But at least it fell into place as to who Koda was. The white cloth, the eyes, her voice…she was the girl he'd met in the hospital. But why had she pretended she didn't know him? Had she really not remembered him, or was it all a part of her psychiatric plan?

"Is all this for your Thanksgiving feast? You know…Sophie told the whole world about you on TV yesterday."

"I know."

"So you're not worried?"

"I am, but I'm not leaving them. Not now…I've got a sure-fire way to get them that building I keep talking about. You know, that shelter that can be attached to my basement home? I know how to get the money for it now, and the publicity for it."

"Oh? How's that?"

"I'm going to get Alvin to talk."

"Alvin…You met him?"

"Yeah, a little while ago. He's my friend now, but nobody else knows about it. I haven't seen him in a couple days, but I'm gonna bet that that's because it's Thanksgiving. Anyway, since I'm helping him he promised to do a performance for me when he gets his voice back." Alvin glared a little. She was lying with almost every word. But she looked like she was telling the complete truth.

"And you know how to do that? Help him I mean."

"Of course I do! I'm my own kind of psychiatrist. Besides, I've got a potion back home that'll have him cured in a week."

"Are you doubting me? He's perfectly healed now!"

"Yeah. But anything like this can be improved upon by a botanist." He shook his head.

"Just don't make things worse, ok Koda?" He kissed her forehead as he set her down. "Are you sure you don't want to join me and Tammy for dinner tonight?"

"I'm positive Nate! I have my den to look out for."

"Ok, then I'll just have to come by with Tammy later to drop off all the pies we made."

"Pies?"

"We stayed up for an eternity baking you and your friends fifteen pumpkin pies. Do you know how much that cost?"

"You didn't have to! I mean…you can take it to…"

"No. Koda, it's for you guys. I'll see you around five, ok? We'll bring the pies and plenty of disposable plates and forks. Be ready."

"Yes sir. See ya later then."

"Yeah, sure. Koda, you are going to stay a couple nights at my house before you leave. I want to have time to do a blood test to make sure you're completely healthy. Then you're going to get all cleaned up and we're going to get you some new traveling clothes. You're starting to out-grow what you have on. And then you're going to get a few good meals in you before you disappear again. And Koda?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise you'll come back and visit us. I'm not going to be traveling anymore, so you know where to find me."

"Yes sir." She leaned against the cart as he walked away. Alvin ran out to her side as soon as the doctor was around the corner. "Come on, Hotshot. We gotta finish up. Is the total less than two hundred?" He nodded and she sighed with relief. "Thank goodness for the world's cheapest discount store that open even on Thanksgiving day. Ok, it's up to you to check out, alright? We can exchange the change later and put it the bag. And starting tomorrow you're going to be earning your keep. Isn't that wonderful? Welcome to the family. You asked for it."


	16. Chapter 16

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Ahem. I got very few reviews last chapter (and I'm not happy right now). But I'm going to update for you all anyway. I want to finish up posting this story before school starts again. Well...ah, soon I'll be asking for a photo-op for you guys to draw me a picture. So does anyone want to give it a shot? It's not until next chapter, but I'm curious to see who might want to draw a picture from this story now. Also, I've realized that I have two pages worth of song links and, obviously, only one has been used so far! Weird. Well, there's more to celebrate in the latter part of this story, so it makes sense that they'd do more singing later on. Oh...review!

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young (they mostly signed it because they want to see family-quality cartoons back on TV, but it's still signatures). Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 16:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 16

"I'm hungry," Theodore sighed as they walked around the streets. Dave and Miss Miller were in the cars but all the kids had opted to do a more thorough check through the harder to see places.

"I'm getting cold," Brittany complained back as she zipped up her jacket. The temperature had dropped over the course of the day.

"It might be snowing next week," Simon added to the misery. "I hope we find him before then."

"Well, if the homeless people find him I hope they're the sane, nice ones," Jeanette tried to comfort.

"What she means is that she hopes they'll take him in and give him some warm place to sleep," Eleanor interpreted for Theodore, knowing that Jeanette's general statement was making him edgy. The statement had left him wondering about what if the insane or mean ones got to him.

"I just want to go home," Brittany added in, walking ahead of them so they couldn't see the tears brimming her eyes. "I'm so fed up with this."

"Well we're not stopping until we find him!" Simon snapped at her. "If you don't care about him, too bad for you. But we do, and we're not giving up." He grabbed Jeanette's hand and stormed past the oldest Chipette, not even looking at her. But Jeanette did. Jeanette saw the tears in her sister's eyes. She pulled away from Simon, hugging her older sister.

"We'll find him Brittany," she whispered. "And it's not the end of the world if you admit that you're worried about him."

"He's such a jerk," Brittany sobbed back. "He just runs away for no reason when he knows we need him here."

"But we weren't treating him like we needed him," Theodore told her. "We were ignoring him."

"Brushing him off," Simon added.

"Accusing him of being a thief," Eleanor reminded Brittany, which only got the sister to cry harder. "I mean…"

"I'm awful!" Brittany wailed.

"Well…I can't say no, because then I'd be lying. But you can make it up to him."

"I can?"

"Yeah. Just be nice, admit that you worry and that you're not perfect. Don't try to live up to those impossible standards you set. Just live down to his standards and you'll be a lot happier. Believe me!" Theodore smiled a little, glad that the Brittany problem was more or less over. He walked over to stand by his brother, barely noticing the tears that were streaming down his own face.

"We'll bring him home," Simon assured his little brother, putting his hand on Theodore's shoulder. "When we do, he'll never want to run away again."

"You're mad at him, aren't you?" Theodore asked quietly.

"A bit. I'm more mad at myself, but him too. He could have written something for us before doing something this drastic, but then at the same time he couldn't because he probably felt that we would just ignore that too. How about this: When we get him home, you can make a big special breakfast and I'll…um, wow. Science might just fail me this time, seeing as he's not that interested in it…so I could…"

"Do all his chores for a while?"

"Yeah! That'll do. Gee, I hope it doesn't go to his head when we suddenly turn all nice on him…It's only going to be special treatment for a week."

"Dave will get at him if he tries to let it go to his head." They laughed, getting weird looks from the Chipettes (who hadn't heard a word of the conversation due to their sisterly-Brittany-hugs-and-comforting).

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Ok Alvin, you're going to have to…um…Sophie! Can you hide Alvin for me while Nate and his cousin are here?

"Of course deah," Sophie replied, leading the star off somewhere. He grumbled as she had him sit on an old crate and wrap himself up in a blanket (making sure to cover his head). "Now stay right there child. Koda'll come and get ya as soon as her friends leave."

He wanted to turn his head and peek, but he knew that his face wasn't all that hard to miss. Sure, there were other chipmunks like him and his brothers and the Chipettes here and there, but few of them had ever come into a city. Not that none had ever socialized, so as long as he looked raggedy no one else would notice that he was one of the famous Chipmunks. They'd think he was just some random chipmunk. But the doctor would know. The doctor had to know this very special patient.

"Hello!" he heard Nate greeting. "Tammy, come on. They won't bite."

"Some might," the nurse replied. "I mean…"

"It's ok," Koda said sweetly. Alvin heard the squeaking of wheels. "Little red wagons…I suppose that's one way to bring them all here. Thank you so much. Happy Thanksgiving you two. Oh! That's right. Nate, are you going to have a date this evening at your house? Or you, Tammy?"

"Sorry kiddo," Tammy replied. "We're both dateless again."

"Well, make sure you don't fight over the wishbone. Don't complain about who gets the wish." That made the two adults crack up and a few tears well up in Alvin's eyes. Normally it was a fight between the three brothers who would break it, even Simon. They had to do rock paper scissors first to see which two of them would break it. Then, whenever Alvin was versing Theodore, he'd let his baby brother win the bigger half. But when he was against Simon…that was usually a bit of a war. Once the two of them had pulled, but the bone hadn't come apart. They put all their weight in it too, but it hadn't snapped…Until Dave got curious as to why and took it in his two fists and ripped it apart. It snapped with so much force that he almost whacked them both in the face. They let Dave have the wish that year.

"The offer is still open if you don't get enough to eat," Nate cut back in.

"That's alright. We're making chicken salad and we got crackers and then we're going to have some carrots and I got a bunch of bananas for everyone. There's also going to be s'mores later…Am I missing anything? Um…Oh! We're also having ham. You know, the kind that's pre-cooked and just kind of in the cold area of the store? Yeah, that. I got a few of those to hack up and divide between all of us here tonight. Who I feel real bad for is the others…I mean, there's the soup kitchen, but that's not special. Besides, I bet it's full tonight."

"You're right about that. I checked in to see if I could bring any soup down here. Which, by the way…"

"You got some!"

"Yup. But you're going to have to have people come to get the barrels and roll them in here somehow. I also brought Styrofoam bowls and plastic spoons and a soup ladle to divide it up. All on top of your pumpkin pie. How's that for a feast?"

"It doesn't compare to turkey," a man sighed as he walked up beside Koda. "But it sounds awful good. Thanks Dr. Dell."

"It's Nate. I don't think we've met." He offered his hand to the man that had talked to Alvin earlier.

"I'm Jeremy. Nice to meet you." They shook, then Jeremy looked over at the nurse. "Nice to meet you too, lady."

"How'd you come to stay down here with this lot?" Tammy asked.

"It started with identity theft. The guy took all the money from me and everything else. Then there was the bills with the money that I didn't have…foreclosure you know. My family thinks I'm just a burden, so I figured I'd go easy on them. I remembered my ol' friend Sophie and decided I'd come help out here. It's hospitable. I may not have a job anymore, but at least I've got people that care about me all around."

"They bicker like a married couple," Koda complained. "Now you two, shoo!"

"I wrote a rhyme at half past nine," Nate joked. Koda growled a little as she pushed them towards the tunnel. "Don't forget the soup Koda."

"I won't. Now you guys go and have your Thanksgiving dinner and we'll have ours." As soon as the doctor and his cousin's chattering died away, Koda ran over and pulled Alvin out from hiding. "That was great. Now…Jeremy, get some guys to go bring in the barrels. I bet they brought the soup in those special short barrel things they got, so there's probably two there to make the same amount as a normal barrel."

"All right everyone!" Sophie yelled as Jeremy took his pick. "Dinner's almost ready! We're havin' soup first!" The first person Jeremy had picked brought in the throwaway dishes and utensils, passing them out to everyone.

"Not you Alvin." Koda grabbed onto the back of his shirt. "You're helping me an' Sophie an' Jeremy serve the food. We eat last." His stomach was growling. Through the course of the day he'd had just one slice of bread and an ice cream that Koda had bought for him. He was starved. "Oh, we'll teach you how to get your own food. It's not like a forest where you can just go around picking berries and it's not like a house where you can just open a refrigerator. Remember what I said about begging? Well, we're going to teach you all the tricks. If you don't pick up right away that's alright. We usually go to the soup kitchen at regular intervals too. It's not half bad, honestly."

"Dinner!" Jeremy called as he banged the ladle against the first barrel. It was no taller than Alvin's shoulder, but twice as big around as usual barrels. Someone lit the fire in the metal barrel in the center of the den as the sun was setting, then they all took their bowls from Sophie and Alvin and Koda as Jeremy dished out their soups. "Come back when you finish that and we'll put some carrots in those bowls. Then you get a plate and you can have some chicken salad and crackers and pumpkin pie."

Koda and Sophie and some other girls had been preparing the food while Jeremy had put Alvin to work nailing together boards during the afternoon. They'd spent hours putting up the stage, even through splinters that wouldn't come out no matter how hard he tried.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Around two hours later he was sitting against the wall as the fire flickered shadows off the buildings around him. There was a glow from other fires all around where other people were gathering to warm themselves. He had his jacket on to stay warm, but it wasn't helping much. He knew he'd done something stupid and unprovoked (at least to this extent), but he just had to. It felt like it was the right thing to do, even if he was beginning to regret running away. He couldn't get his family's Thanksgivings out of his head.

"Here, Hotshot," Koda said as she handed him a plate with a second piece of pumpkin pie and two s'mores on it. "Happy Thanksgiving." She paused, glancing over at the fire. "You know, nobody comes out here willingly." She sat down against a wall, taking a bite of her own second piece. "I can honestly say if it wasn't for your money I'd have sent you straight back home. These streets aren't meant for a rich kid like you. I mean, you can learn to live it, but why would you? It's disgusting. There's nothing romantic about this lifestyle. Do you know how hard it is to find a shower? I go to Nate, but you can't. You have to find some other means to stay clean. That or give in to the lice and the mites."

"C'mon Koda," Sophie scolded as she sat down on the other side of the bat-girl. "Don't scare him. It's not all that awful. We got you. We got our own lil' doctah."

"Doctor…right! Alvin, I got a type of medicine I want you to try later. It might help your voice…Why did you come out here anyway? I mean, it can't be that awful to have two brothers and three Chipette friends. Not to mention your dad…Sophie saw where he was voted one of the best dads in California."

"That's right, put in by you boys if I remember right." Alvin snorted a little in an attempt to laugh. They had sent in a whole mini-biography on Dave to prove as to why he was the best dad in California. Actually, they'd been aiming for best in America, but he'd gotten third in California. Still, that wasn't half bad. But to them he deserved best in America. Alvin wondered what Dave was feeling right then, hoping Dave wasn't taking it too hard.

"But without a voice life must be a lot different. You were loud, right?" He nodded. "Then all of a sudden you couldn't say anything…It must have been so easy for them to push you aside. But running away is a bit extreme, isn't it? Just talk…" He glared at her. "I know, you can't just talk. Something happened to you…I mean, nothing awful, but something got through in your subconscious and now it won't let you speak until you deal with it. So you came as far away from that life as you could to find yourself again. How am I doing so far?" He nodded some.

"Like I said. Koda is a nice little psychiatrist." Sophie laughed, reaching her fork over to steal a bite of Koda's pie. "That's why you two are gettin' second helpings. You bein' rich and all and Koda bein' our little prodigy." Alvin picked up his notebook, scribbling something down on it and passing it to Koda.

"I'm sorry; my eyes are awful in this light." She glanced over to him, her eyes holding a secret that he couldn't make out. "What's it say Sophie?"

"It's a question, Koda. It says: 'Why don't you go to an orphanage or to live with the doctor?'"

"Aw, Alvin, don't make me cry, please." She rolled her head to look at him, her ears drooping down. "It's a sad story. Might even make a tough guy like you cry."

"Go ahead and tell 'im Koda. It'll help him unda'stand."

"Alright, but I'm warning you. I'll start crying. I always do." She looked back towards the fire, picking up one of her s'mores and eating it in one gulp. "Sophie, can you get me two of the bananas? I need more fruit or I'll pass out."

"I'm goin', I'm goin'."

"That's another thing that's bad about being a bat. Sure, flying is fun enough, but my food pyramid is six to eleven servings of fruit or else. I'm a fruit bat after all. But I need some of the others too, just because of…well, that's a story for another day. You asked me about the orphanages. I tried that once, over in New York a few years ago. They took me in for about a week, until the kids started having nightmares because of me. All the kids were terrified of me. So they kicked me out. If I hadn't picked up on the piano so fast I would have died over there. But I learned how to play and some kind girl took me in to help her with her parts for the shows she was in. I learned the music for gems like RENT and Hairspray and Wicked, even though she didn't sing in all those. I also learned the flute and the violin over there. Pretty fun."

"Off topic," Sophie told her as she gave the kid the bananas.

"I'm getting there. See, I helped build the sets and no one had a problem with me, for a while. But one time the center stage star started screaming and hitting me with a broom. The girl tried to stop her, but the people who were paying them to put it on said 'get rid of that thing or you'll be off the show.' I couldn't let her get kicked for me, so I left New York. I miss Broadway, but I had to move along. I took a train sometimes, riding on top instead of paying for tickets, and other times I just flew or walked through cities and forests and all. Eventually I crossed the Rockies and ended up here in LA."

"The dear ol' doctah that got her outta Germany was one of the first people she ran into when she got here too."

"Yeah. See, I had an awful life in Germany so he got me out of there and took me to Ireland, teaching me English before he had to leave for the states. He thought I had a nice family all set up…but they didn't take me in. I lied to him so that those freaky guys he got me away from wouldn't hunt him down. That's why I can't go live with him, even though he knows the truth now. I just told him that as soon as they find me I'm heading for Canada. I've always wanted to see Niagara Falls." Sure enough, Alvin saw tears glittering in the fur on her cheeks.

"Time for you two tah go inside then." Sophie grabbed onto Koda's hand, pulling the young girl towards her little home. Alvin followed dutifully, chowing down on his food as quickly as he could (considering that Koda had just left her meal, and now some of the people were fighting over who would get the scraps). "Stay up as late as yah want, but don't keep us up."

"Yes Sophie." Koda shut the door as she flicked on the overhead. Again Alvin's eyes had to take a few seconds to get used to the transition. "Go on and get changed into your…night clothes…" She shook her head. "You're so lucky to even have pajamas…Well, get changed and come to the last room down the hall. That's where I keep my lab. I'll put together your medicine there. Oh, and don't worry. This kind of medicine tastes great."

He changed his clothes quick enough, sitting down on his cot as he looked around. Life was bad out there, but it wasn't terribly awful. Sophie was right by saying they had Koda. The girl made everything easier. Then there was the fact that he at least had an indoor room and a blanket to keep warm.

"Can some people stay in the big room tonight?" he heard Jeremy calling in.

"Of course!" Koda called back in response. "You know where the pillows are; make sure they bring in enough blankets. Fit as many in there as you can. If anyone wants to go up to the upper levels they can, if they have the energy to climb the stairs."

"People are going to think there's ghosts here."

"There are." He cracked open the door, watching as people walked single file down the hall and turned left at one point. It was a room they turned into, but he was sure there was a hallway down a little ways beyond that. He bet that that turn led to the stairs and that the entire space from his room to that hall and from the hall out in front of him to the stairs was what Jeremy had called the 'big room.' "Hurry up Alvin!"

He ducked through the people as they shuffled in, many of them smiling and patting him on the head. He darted into the room she had indicated, glad to be away from the crowd. The room was dim, the only light being a flickering one that was the only one left in the ceiling. Along the wall were three old tables, all different makes and in different conditions, each holding some extension to her lab. It was a lab, no doubt, but it had no comparison to Simon's. Simon was way more organized than this and everything seemed to have a place there. This one was…well, Alvin couldn't even tell what was for the lab and what was just clutter. It was all one junky mess.

"I know, I know. It's awful looking, right?" She turned around, giggling. "It's made up completely of junk found in the nearest junkyards. I think it's pretty well made. Anyway, this is part of my clean and fresh chemistry set that Nate got me last Christmas. It's got nice beakers that I only use when making stuff for anyone outside of this group. You know, people that can bring down the full extent of the law and yadda-yadda. We get visitors like you here and there, just none that want to stay. Ah, well, what's done is done. Here ya go. One home-made talk-tomorrow remedy, with no grantees you'll be talking by tomorrow. Drink one every other night and you should be singing on stage again before New Years. Batty Koda promise, and those promises are true to everything."


	17. Chapter 17

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Thanks to the two who volunteered to draw, I'd like to see both of you give it a shot. But I'm not gonna give it away until after you read the chapter...Actually I had another thought for another picture, but I'll have to draw that seeing as I'm the only one who knows EXACTLY what Koda looks like and that picture has her in it. This one does too, just not her whole body so it makes it easier. Em...This is a sad chapter, but I hope everyone enjoys it still.

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young (they mostly signed it because they want to see family-quality cartoons back on TV, but it's still signatures). Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 17:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 17

"I can't stand just waiting around!" Simon complained at lunch over a week later. Brittany had curled up against Jeanette and was ignoring her food (and Cal, who was back to sitting far away from everyone else). "We shouldn't be in school right now! The excuses are getting thin, the teachers are going to suspect something soon…and the principal! He's our neighbor! He's bound to come over and ask to see Alvin sometime!"

"Simon! Shh!" Jeanette tried. She was really the only one keeping cool now, and that was an understatement. Eleanor was always hovering over Theodore like a mother because poor Theodore had all but cut off all social ties. That left Jeanette with Brittany full time on top of Simon whenever he was around. That was if he wasn't trying to plot something like Alvin used to (usually to get out of school so he could help searching more). As for Jeanette, sure she was worried, but she couldn't break down with so many people leaning on her. It was starting to maker her want to just curl up with a book and forget the world, and that's what she planned on doing as soon as Alvin came home.

"Hey, Britt," Cal tried again as he came over, offering her an apple. "I don't know what happened, but cheer up, will ya'? It's depressing seeing you like this."

"Oh, Cal," she whimpered, standing up and brushing herself off. "I'm sorry, really. All this time I've just been using you to make Alvin jealous…I feel really bad to say this, but I'm not at all attracted to you. You're great as a friend, but as anything else? You probably need a girl who doesn't shoot for perfection. Trust me, Alvin's the only one who ever really put up with all my whining. Even my own sisters kick me out when I get annoying." She finally raised her eyes, shocked to see a bit of a grin on his face.

"That's good to hear. In all honesty, I'm not at all attracted to you either."

"Then why…?"

"To get back at the runt…I mean, Alvin…The runt that got me suspended like that. Heh, where's he been lately anyway?"

"Wait…get back at him? So all those things you said you were really just trying to bully him, weren't you? You know, being nice to everyone, telling us he was a thief…I bet he ran away because of you!"

"He ran away!" Cal cracked up laughing. "He ran away! That's hilarious!"

"Shut up!" Simon yelled, catching the attention of the entire lunch room by then. The teacher was trying to make her way through the crowd, but it wasn't working. There was just too many kids around. "What did you say to him?"

"Tell me to shut up and then tell me to talk? You really aren't all that smart."

"Talk!"

"I just told him about my old man…how his family kicked him out when he started costing too much and all that. Nothing much. Actually, most of my goal was just to steal his girl and turn his family against him. It worked, eh? He actually ran away!"

"Stop saying that! He ran away to find his voice because he was fed up with the pressure! And now I know why! It's because of you! You made my brother insane!" Cal's menacing laughter got Simon to step back a little, always keeping the other chipmunks behind him. He was the oldest for the time-being. It was his duty to stand up for all of them. Theodore and Eleanor hung onto each other as they stayed close to the crowd and Jeanette held Brittany back from exploding too.

"Good!" Cal caught Simon's right wrist in his hand as the chipmunk reached for some sort of protection from the over-sized bully. "He drove me insane!" Simon yelped as the force on his wrist started cracking bones.

"Maybe military school is where you belong. They'd know how to handle you." The teacher finally made it, grabbing Cal by the back of his shirt and pulling him away from Simon.

"Come on," Jeanette finally said, wrapping her arm around Simon's shoulders as he cradled his wrist. "Let's go see the nurse now." He nodded in agreement.

"At least my glasses got away from this one in tact." She smiled as she led him through the crowds.

"So all he really was…was a snapped person underneath," Brittany sighed. "He's really not all that bad. He could be a great person, if he gave up all the things that are making him crazy. It's not Alvin, but he likes to have someone to blame. It's his family, you know? They ignore him, then the one time they pay attention to him it's to punish him relentlessly."

"That doesn't explain why you almost went all-out rebel on us," Eleanor told her, trying to lighten the mood as they went in.

"Oh my…not again," the nurse exclaimed, reaching out to hug Simon. "I'm so sorry that you keep getting the more physical end of this." He forced on a smile. "Let me see…You may have to go get a cast for this. It's pretty bad…You're one of the leads too. I just hope they have someone on back-up in case you can't perform for the musical. I know everyone's looking forward to seeing you there."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

December was well under way as Alvin and Koda sat sipping at their soup around lunch time. He was wearing his jacket all the time now and even that wasn't doing much good. Being in LA, he was used to nothing below sixty, so the fifty degree days and forty degree nights were a definite wake-up. Koda had a light purple poncho-like coat added to her outfit that was trimmed in tan fake fur, her hood almost always pulled up. "So I figure you just have to spice up some old songs and the fans'll come flooding back in seconds. They adored you before, they'll adore you again with some tweaking. I've actually been working on alternates for your…Alvin, are you listening?"

He turned back from his glance out the window, nodding. He'd stopped carrying around the notebook by the third day and had folded up his usual clothes and put them in his backpack for the rest of his duration in the den. He had to keep his cover, and was doing a pretty good job of it. The only thing that really got to him was the smell and how dirty everything was. But Koda had showed him that secret too. She'd flown him over the wall at some local pool that had been closed down and snuck him into the guy's shower area before going off to take her own in the girl's area. Now Koda was going on and on about some remixes for the Chipmunks classic songs.

"Anyway, I figure your Christmas song can take a more rock approach, fun and exciting. Take a turn away from childhood classic. Most of those little fans are growing up now and want something a little less, well, sweet. We'll get the guitars tomorrow so we can start working it through…if that's ok with you?" He nodded, wondering how Dave would like it if they rearranged the song. He completely agreed that the old songs needed to be redone. "And what about Witch Doctor? That one is amazing, but you haven't sung it on a stage since you were tots, right?" More nodding. "We can definitely remix that…Make it more rock-like too…Is something wrong?"

All of a sudden, he had jolted, gotten a chill, and curled up in his seat. Alvin could feel something was wrong…He shook his head though, and something else caught Koda's attention. There was a TV playing the news in some nearby room, and her big ears picked up something useful. "This just isn't their season, Bob," the newsperson was saying. "First Alvin loses his voice and now Simon might have a broken arm. Poor kids."

"Bullies, Mary," Bob replied. "That's what we got from the kids. They told us that there's this one boy that's always been picking on everyone, and at one point he'd singled out Simon, then Alvin, and apparently he's back to Simon…"

"You are magical," Koda said to Alvin. She kept her ears perked up for a hospital name, and she heard it right before the case was closed with the usual 'that's too bad' and 'what makes kids do things like that?' and 'what are they going to do about that boy?' The main reason they'd given the address was because they were going to check up on it later, and they had mentioned that it was thought that it was just cracked bones but it would still be nice if he were to receive get well soon cards. "You and your brothers are really special. Come on."

He wasn't paying much attention to anything around him as she dragged him around back and pulled off her shoes and socks. "It's quicker if we fly, so long as you don't mind. Apparently there was something about bullies and you and your brother on the news…He went to the hospital and they think his bones are cracked or something. We're going to go see him while he's still sleeping and before the family and friends get there. There's some visiting time, I promise."

His heart skipped a beat as she latched onto his arms with her creepy long toes, soaring up. The wind blew her little poncho-coat around like it was a pathetic cape that was just tied by string around her neck. He watched the grey world soaring past, wondering which brother she was talking about. Either one it was still tragic, but he hoped that it wasn't Theodore. If Cal had laid a single finger on Theodore…then again, if it had been Simon, Alvin would still never forgive the guy. It didn't matter which one, he just knew Simon would be able to take it better than Theodore.

"Shh, wait here," she said as she set him on the roof. "I'll go in and ask Nate how everything is…Your family trusts this hospital, don't they?" She sighed and flew in through some patient's window, hurrying on through the hospital in search for Dr. Dell. Alvin sat down, waiting miserably for the answer. She didn't take much time, however. "They knocked him out and they're doing what they do for his condition. Oh, it's Simon. It's sad that it's anyone, but that's just so you know. Everyone else - your dad, Theodore, the girls - are waiting on the first floor. Post-op is…" She walked along the ledge, pausing over a certain column. "Second floor for this sort of thing. The first floor is all emergency and ICU, so we can stay here and wait or go down there and wait. I can hear better down there though." She looked over to see his shocked and concerned face.

"Oh, post-op doesn't mean he needed surgery. Not at all. That's just the tech-term for the room where the outpatients rest before leaving and the inpatients rest before being moved to their real room. You probably slept right through all that though." He nodded, thinking that everyone got a room straight off. "Nothing too horrible, but we'll only have maybe two or three minutes before everyone comes in. Will that be time enough?" Alvin shook his head. "Well, it'll have to be. That is, unless you're giving up your vow." Again with the head shaking. "Alright then."

She sat on the ledge, dangling her feet over the side of the building as she looked towards where the sun would be if the clouds were gone. "Like I was saying earlier, you and your brothers must have some sort of telepathy. You just suddenly looked like you were in pain, and then I heard the news in the back saying what had happened." Alvin had felt sick to his stomach suddenly, for no reason. He sat beside her, his back towards the long drop to the ground below. He didn't want to see how high up they were anymore.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"You are so lucky that everyone is so warped here," Koda hissed as Alvin ran into another bed. He wasn't paying much attention to where he was going, just checking every bed. Finally, he found his brother. Koda pulled the curtain around to keep the others out before she perched on the end of the bed. "Wow…so that's Simon. He's…well, different in real life. A little more nerdy…" Alvin smiled as he climbed onto the bed beside his sleeping brother. Simon's glasses were no where in sight (probably with Dave), but Alvin hoped they were in tact this time.

He motioned for pen and paper, and Koda went out scavenging. She came back with a small scrap for him, but it was enough. 'Simon, I'm so sorry this happened to you. It never would have happened if I hadn't left. But I made a vow and I'm going to stick to it. Koda says I'll have my voice back before New Year's! Take care, I miss you guys, but I'll be home soon. - Alvin.'

"Take out that part about Koda, please," she replied almost instantaneously. "Just scratch it out and write 'a friend' over it. Nate'll see that name and know in an instant where to find you." Alvin nodded and obeyed, even though he wasn't sure how she'd read the note so fast, putting the scrap in Simon's good hand. He patted his brother's shoulder before Koda grabbed him and dragged him around the other side of the curtain.

"Um, so you have no idea what their tolerance level is?" the doctor was saying as the family came in. Koda pulled Alvin under a bed where someone's blanket was hanging over enough to hide them.

"Well, you remember how loopy Alvin was when he first woke up," Dave's voice replied. "He didn't remember anything that happened, so…"

"If that's what they're like on pain killers, I'd hate to see what happens if they were to drink coffee. I know for a fact that Koda would be flying circles around the room singing and screaming and cheering until she drives me insane. She's done it before. Haven't let her near caffeine since." Koda snickered.

"So how long will the cast be on?" they heard Jeanette cut in.

"Oh, until after New Years to be sure. But it's not completely broken, so it's going to heal faster than if his arm had been broken."

"What about the musical?" Brittany asked.

"Well, just so long as the part can be edited for the new situation he can still be in it, I guess. But I'd much prefer that he sit this one out."

"That leaves us short two lead roles! The teacher is going to have a heart attack."

"No," Theodore said. "Alvin's going to come back and I bet he'll be able to just jump right up and take Simon's part. But Cal's part…"

"He's coming to!" Jeanette called. Alvin peeked under the blanket. He couldn't see much under the drawn curtain, except for the reflections against the shined white floor as everyone ran to the bedside.

"H-hey," Simon said. "Jeanette?" He paused, clenching his good fist a little. He held the paper up, trying to flatten it out with his one hand.

"Here," Dave offered, putting Simon's glasses on the kid's face and flattening the paper for him.

"It…It's from Alvin! Alvin was here!" That got everyone's attention.

"Come on Hotshot," Koda whispered. "Before they check the window." She pulled him carefully through the ward, pushing open the window. She clamped her feet down on his arms before soaring out of the room and up to the roof again.

"The window…" Dr. Dell said as he felt the chill. He ran over and slammed it shut. "Who opened it though?" Everyone in the ward that was awake was watching him as he pulled a pipe-whistle from his pocket. "Hold on for a minute more folks. I want to see something." He pushed the window back open, leaning and out and blowing into his whistle. The noise was shrill, but not unbearable. The walls managed to block the most of the noise. He stood there listening, waiting for a response.

"Hear anything?" Dave finally asked.

"No. But I bet she was just in here…I'll ask her tonight." He pushed the window shut. "Well, how about a drink and something to eat, hm?" The question was directed at Simon, but the chipmunk was focusing on the paper. He ran his fingers over the ink. It was dry at the very least, but it was ink from a typical ballpoint pen too.

"Do you have cameras?" Simon blurted. "Security ones that might have him on film?...Wait. Why weren't you surprised about my Alvin comment?"

"I told him when he asked where Alvin was," Dave explained. "There's no good excuse and he has a friend that knows the streets. She can get a birds-eye-view of everything and help us look for him."

"What, like fly?"

"Exactly," Nate replied. "You'll have to be here for a few more hours, but you can go home before six. Like I said before, are you thirsty or hungry?"

"No."

"Well, I'll be back in a little while to check up and then you can go home and get some rest."

"Sure." Simon glanced over at the window. 'Exactly.' That meant the girl could fly? But no human could fly…but if she could, then that meant she was probably already with Alvin. That was the only way he could have come in and left so fast. There was probably only a few minutes when no one that knew them was around…His eyes linked with Jeanette's. She was just thinking the exact same thing.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Like I said earlier, here's the picture I'm asking people to try drawing: Everyone gathered around Simon as he's reading the note while Alvin and Koda are hiding under the NEXT BED over. Just pretend that the curtain isn't in the way. And if you don't want to draw Dave or Dr. Dell, I don't blame you (I cannot draw people! Any animal I'm fine with, but people...Gah! But if you do, make sure the Doc looks like a nice, fatherly person). Everyone's in this picture, so have fun you guys.


	18. Chapter 18

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Ok you guys...we're just a few reviews away from 100. Attack the review button with your lives, PLEASE. Well...For everyone's info, I go back to school a week from today (I'm 16 and I'm going to be a Junior...a very under-appreciated-for-my-knowledge Junior), and I get my driver's lisence this Thursday. Well, I take the test for it, and I've never failed a test, so I've as good as got it. Oh, and I'm hopefully gonna be able to update Friday, so long as my nutty friend doesn't show up waaaay too early. We're supposed to go shopping Friday (and then, later in the afternoon, I'm going to a party). So read up and enjoy, there's not too much left. I mean, there's more, but it's not an eterinty longer. We're over half-way done with the story. So read up and enjoy!

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young (they mostly signed it because they want to see family-quality cartoons back on TV, but it's still signatures). Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 18:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 18

"They're here," Koda whimpered a little as the den grew silent after their music practice two days later. She and Alvin were making a great deal of progress on the songs now that they had the guitars and a trap set brought down to the den. They'd also gotten a simple sound system set up, half made from repaired scraps.

"Who dear?" Sophie asked as she stepped back from what she was doing (sandpapering the rough edges of the wood for the benches).

"The mad-men, the white-coats. Sophie! The people from Germany that did this to me."

"Did what?" Everyone was giving her weird looks.

"Made me even more different…Oh, Alvin, you don't know about the white-coats. See, my face is more cat-like than a normal bat. Most bat noses aren't like mine, they're more…well, decayed looking. Then there's my ears. They're different too. And my immunity! They did so many rotten experiments on me that my immunity got so that if I get sick it's like a bio-weapon. Anyone can catch the sickness and it's usually deadly to them. That's why I stay away from people, in case I get sick or something."

She hopped off the stage, pointing to Jeremy to take their set-up and put it where it couldn't get wet if it rained during the night. She then grabbed onto Alvin, leading him through the tunnel and peeking out the curtain at the other end. "Alvin, could you help me lead them out of here? If they find the den…They're merciless, and I don't know how heartless. They might experiment on these homeless people if they can't find me. I don't know. We have to prevent that, ok? You're pretty fast, aren't you?"

He nodded, then she nodded. She pulled him through the alleys, giving him instructions before finally jumping up and pulling down a fire ladder. "Keep an eye on them from above…oh, here." She gave him a pipe-whistle. "Blow into this whenever you see them and take off running. Keep high up, you'll have more advantage. I'll take half of them, you take half of them. That's five each, ok? If they break apart into smaller groups, just keep doing what you can. And don't let them see you! I don't want you endangered too."

He nodded, climbing the ladder as she took to the skies. "They're that way. Be careful, ok? I'll find you." He pointed at his ears, then at her. "Yeah, my ears can pick up that much when I want to. But what got me is the noise their van makes. They're so stupid thinking I won't pick it up. It gives me a headache whenever it's on. I want you to lay low until we see them split up to find me. I'll take the first bunch, you take the second set. Watch out for the tranquilizers. Those can put you out for twelve hours sometimes."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Simon pulled his coat tight around his body. The temperatures had been dropping more and more, so they had increased their search. It was two weeks to Christmas, just over one week to the musical, and a Saturday. Everyone had spent the entire day out looking. Nate and Tammy had joined in, claiming that Koda was never at the 'den,' whatever that meant.

"Come on Simon!" he heard Dave calling from the car. "We have to go home now. It's too cold for you to be out here tonight."

"But we haven't found him!" Simon called back.

"We'll find him tomorrow, I promise."

"You've promised that since Thanksgiving. It's been almost two weeks!" That really stung, and Simon didn't mean it…He just couldn't bear the fact that what if tomorrow ended up being like all the other past tomorrows?

"It's only been two days since he visited you in the hospital."

"Please! Just give us ten more minutes!" Dave shook his head. Theodore and the Chipettes were already in the car, but they were begging too.

"Ten more minutes, I'll be right here. Don't go too far." Simon nodded as the kids poured out of the car again, all of them heading for the depth of the alley. Dave was feeling less and less nervous about leaving them alone when they went around the corner. Nate had introduced him to what seemed like hundreds of homeless people that could help them, and those homeless were always watching over the kids.

"We're already looked everywhere," Brittany cried.

"Not everywhere," Jeanette reminded her. "We've just looked in some places more than once. The scenery changed a little, so we thought it was different all-together. We should have gotten a map and marked off every street we checked."

"I've been doing that," Simon sighed. "He's probably moving around. But I bet the best time to find him is at night. He probably comes back to the same place to sleep every night." They jumped a little as they heard a sort of 'bang' of a gun shot.

"Missed her a'gin!" they heard some guy shouting. A group of three came running up, almost trampling everyone. "Sorry kids. We're trying to catch an animal that escaped from the zoo. A rare bird sort of thing." He showed them his tranquilizer. "She's on the run tonight, and we still can't find out where she's set up her den at."

"Is there a problem?" they heard Dave say from behind the men.

"Just apologizin' to the kids, Sir. We'll be on our…way…Bill! What's the matter?"

"Something's out there," a younger man replied. "And it ain't Batty."

"I thought you said it was a bird?" Eleanor commented.

"We call her Batty." Everyone heard it the second time. Clanking on the fire escape to the building beside them. "It's not her…"

"Darn right!" the third one shouted as he pointed his tranquilizer gun.

"That sounds a lot like a real one," Jeanette said about the thing.

"That's 'cuz we gotta have force enough to sink in to her skin at a good long distance," the first one explained. "The bang is just the dart being shot off. She can hear us three miles off anyway, so it don't matter how much noise we make." The third one yelped as something leaped out at him. He dropped his tranquilizer as whatever it was blew a whistle in his ears.

"Hold still!" the second guy shouted, shooting the tranquilizer. It got his companion right in the rump. "That's not…"

"Hold fire," the first one demanded. "Don't waste it on some kid!" That 'some kid' toppled to the ground as the sleeping medicine worked fast on the guy that just got shot. The chipmunks stared in amazement as he scooped his red hat up off the ground.

"Alvin!" Simon shouted. "We've been looking everywhere for you! What are you doing…?" Alvin ignored them, jumping from a trashcan to distract the other two.

"Alvin, stop this and come home!" Dave demanded, getting a glare from his son. Alvin ducked as the two remaining men dived for him, letting them clank their heads together. The plan had changed a little when Koda had told him that his family was in this part of the city. The plan now was to take these guys out as quickly as possible.

"What's going on?" Brittany yelled at him. He merely pointed at their guns and then pointed at the sky. "Yeah, they're getting a bird for the zoo." He shook his head, holding up his whistle. He had no idea how to say that they were after his friend. "Ok? You have a whistle."

"Blow that thing again," Simon told him. He did it. "That sounds like…eh…"

"A bat screech?" Jeanette offered. Alvin pointed at her, jumping up and down and nodding. "A bat? They're after a bat?" Alvin held his hand up to show that the bat was about Jeanette's height.

"A big bat?" Theodore asked. Alvin nodded again, then jumped as he heard a screech-response in the distance. Without even stopping to wave goodbye, he took off for it.

"Wait!" everyone called at once, darting after him. He didn't though. Dave was the first one to wear out, but the kids kept going. Hoping they'd find their way back, he made for the place where the men had been left and called Nate to find out if this had something to do with that Koda girl that apparently could fly.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Are you ok Hotshot?" Koda asked as she glided down to greet him. A fog was winding around them now and was starting to thicken quite a bit. He nodded, pointing back and holding up three fingers. "Got three of them? I knocked out four. The others pulled back. Are your family and friends ok?" He nodded again, glancing up. Her ears were drooping against her head. "I ran into something…my ears won't stop ringing…"

"Look out!" she heard as she felt someone leap and knock her down.

"Alvin?" She didn't have time to think, though, because she heard it now. Someone was clanking around another fire escape. She grabbed onto his arms and took to the sky. "You talked! Alvin, you talked!"

"I know," he whispered, almost inaudibly, before losing consciousness.

"Thank goodness, Hotshot. I was worried that you'd end up stuck with us forever."

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"We're lost," Eleanor trembled as her sisters clung to her. Theodore was officially a permanent attachment to Simon's left arm, just like Brittany and Jeanette were attached to Eleanor.

"It's just foggy," Simon tried to assure everyone as he trembled from the cold. The temperature was down in the mid-thirties by now, and with the fog he was starting to get fearful. "Dave will have called the cops by now, right? They'll be looking for us, and we'll explain that we just got lost running after our brother and we won't get in trouble…" He felt awful. All he wanted was to curl up and go to sleep.

"We need to get out of the fog," Jeanette said. "Simon, are you feeling ok?"

"No! I can't focus on anything. I'm exhausted."

"Then lay off the thinking for a while…Just try to find a place for us to rest."

"Rest?" they heard someone say. They all jumped together, landed together, and scrunched together for safety. "Lost are you?" The guy came out of the fog. "Koda gave me orders to find the chipmunks and make sure they got somewhere safe, just in case they didn't go home."

"Koda…that's Nate's friend."

"Of course. She's the Angel of the Streets of LA. Didn't you see the news report? Anyway, come on back to the den and she'll find you beds and pack you five off to sleep and then in the morning you can all talk."

"How can we know to trust you?" Eleanor boldly demanded.

"It's that or wander around out here all night." She glanced around, agreeing to that logic. "I'm Jeremy."

"Nice to meet you Jeremy." They followed close, clinging even tighter as they went through the dark, damp tunnel. Coming out on the other end, however, was a real surprise. They could see the shape of the stage through the fog and the bleachers were obvious, seeing as they'd come out underneath them.

"Did people used to perform here?" Theodore squeaked out.

"Nope. We built this all in the days since Thanksgiving. Koda's got it in her head to convince some bands to come here and play for free for the benefit of the homeless to get us a home built right here on this spot. This way…This building is our indoor shelter for now. Everyone's in here tonight."

"You brought them here?" they heard a young girl saying, even though they couldn't see around Jeremy.

"Sorry! I don't know the way back to their home."

"Well, alls fair. The media will follow when we leave a tip that they're here. What a show we're going to have!" They gasped when the finally saw her.

"Batty!" Simon exclaimed, everything finally sinking in.

"Koda. My name is Koda."

"Yeah, but that one guy said Batty, and you've got wings, and the screechy whistle…where's Alvin?"

"Where's who?"

"Alvin! My brother! He was fighting with those guys to protect you!"

"Are you sure he wasn't just looking out for you? I hear he's a protective brother. Sophie tells me that she read an interview of you guys in a magazine once. It had all this stuff about how you felt about each other as brothers and both of you said that he looked out for you when you were in a jam with bullies or something. Maybe he was just doing that again." They hung their heads in defeat. "Come on, dolls. I'm afraid I don't have any nightclothes for you."

"That's ok," Jeanette said sweetly, walking up and offering her hand. "I'm Jeanette, and that's Brittany and that's Eleanor."

"The infamous Chipettes, girlfriends to the Chipmunks. Hey, I'm not dumb. I've heard all about you from Sophie and the others. Mostly I get stuck doing all sorts of work though, so I don't have much time for fun. Come along. Time for bed." Jeanette scrunched her nose up a little. This girl was no older than they were and yet she was so unbearably serious. Even Jeanette had time for some fun, and the least Koda could have done was smiled and said 'nice to meet you.'

The room they were put in was the room that Koda herself was staying in. There was a bed that had somehow been attached to the ceiling and that the bat-girl curled up on while Jeremy brought in some old mattresses that were in miserable states and two blankets for each kid. One was to lie over the mattress itself and the other was to curl up with. "Sorry but we don't have many pillows."

"I don't think Simon minds," Eleanor commented as she pulled off her shoes. He'd already collapsed on his mattress, not even taking his shoes off after he laid the first blanket down. Jeanette giggled some as she pulled his shoes off for him and pulled a blanket over him.

"Good night dolls."

"Don't call us dolls!" Brittany complained.

"Aw. You guys are just like dolls though. Alright, you win. I won't call you guys dolls." She leaned over the edge, slowly moving her body so that her feet were latched onto the edge and she was hanging upside down.

"There's no truth in vampire stories, are there?" Theodore whispered.

"Not a bit. I mean, sure, I eat meat, but that's my smallest food group, and I'm practically a vegetarian. My biggest is fruit. I'm a fruit bat. And since most fruit bats are itty bitty, they need fangs for eating. I don't need fangs, but it's in my genetics to have them so I do. So don't worry, I won't suck anyone's blood or anything." She clasped her hands over her head, hooking the little hooks that were coming off the ends of her wings together to encase herself in them.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"In here!" Koda called as Jeanette stepped out of the room. The Chipette was the last one to wake up. "Here you go." Jeanette took the cup as it was handed to her as she took in the disorganized room.

"So you're really a botanist?" Simon asked, amazed, as he downed his drink.

"Of course. Oh, and that drink there is going to help your bones heal. I gave everyone else the same thing I gave that other kid when he visited me." She spun back to her lab, not even giving Jeanette another thought as she started trying to make the lab more presentable.

"So you're Dr. Dell's friend?" Jeanette tried to pick up conversation.

"Yep. He saved my life when I was little and I've sort of followed him ever since. Except for while I was working on Broadway with Annalisa."

"You worked on Broadway? What's your favorite?"

"I loved all the ones she taught me. She was a good deal of help to me when it came to learning music. I can play piano, flute, and violin thanks to her." Jeanette sighed, leaning against the wall as she sipped her drink. It was obvious the girl didn't want to talk much. She watched as the bat-girl's ears perked up and twitch, as though she was turning her ears to catch different things.

"Is someone else here?" Simon finally asked, noticing too.

"Oh, I got a guest. The same boy I was telling you about earlier. He got tranquilized saving me last night…I'm waiting for him to wake up."

"You can hear that?" Brittany coughed out.

"Of course. My ears pick up so much just because of the size. It's like a megaphone. You put your ear to one of those things and you hear…well, more. But what you hear is different. It's sort of muddled in some ways, but clearer in others. What I want to hear is the world the way you hear it. To be able to go one day without hearing the cursing and the screeching of the people on the street or shrill noises that are all over the city. That's a dream I wish to make come true, just without losing my ears forever…And speaking of the devil, he's stretching now. Wait here you guys."

She ran down the hall, opening the door and pulling it shut again. "Hey Alvin," she whispered. He was rubbing his eyes and stretching in the light of the room. "Say something!"

"How's my family?" he whispered back. It was weak, but she took it.

"They're fine. Dave got home just peachy and your brothers and the Chipettes got a good night's sleep away from those white-coats." He glanced at her, wondering what she meant by talking about Dave and his brothers seperatly.

"Thanks for the potion."

"Oh, it wasn't the potion. That was just a special tea. You talked on your own. See, I had it all figured out that you just forced yourself not to talk because you were blocking something out. Any nightmares while you were out?"

"A few."

"Related to losing your voice?"

"Every one of them."

"See? Now, sing me a song."

"What?"

"Sing me a song! Um…One of These Days. Do you know that one? It's country."

"Yeah, I know it. Why do I have to sing it?"

"Voice exercises. Your diaphragm and all that is weak from not being used, so you need to build it up. Now sing!"

"Used to chase that boy home from school.

Called him freckle face, red-headed fool.

He was different. He wasn't cool like me.

Sticks and stones didn't break any bones,

We never left well enough alone.

One day he ran away from home, you see.

I passed him as he walked away,

And in his eyes I heard him say:

One of these days you're gonna love me,

You'll sit down by yourself and think

About the times you pushed and shoved me,

And what good friends we might have been.

And then you're gonna sigh a little,

Maybe even cry a little but

One of these days you're gonna love me."

"Louder!" She pushed the door open a little for the kids down the hall to hear.

"Patty Sue was a small town beauty.

I took one look at her and had to pull her to me,

Lord knows she should've seen right through me

When I promised her the world.

But at seventeen you only want one thing.

I left her standing with my high school ring,

Innocent tears in the pourin' rain as I walked away.

And I still see her in my dreams,

And to this day she's whispering."

He jumped a little as Koda joined in singing with him, still pushing him to sing even louder.

"One of these days you're gonna love me,

You'll sit down by yourself and think,

About the time you turned form me

And what good friends we might've been.

And then you're gonna sigh a little,

Maybe even cry a little but

One of these days you're gonna love me."

He glanced up, his eyes wide when he saw Simon, Theodore, Jeanette, Eleanor, and even Brittany peeking in the room. They nodded, waiting for the next part of the song so they could sing too.

"Now everybody stands up,

The congregation sings.

It's a song of sweet forgiveness and as the chorus rings,

The wind blows clear my memory,

The pages start to turn,

Then suddenly I'm singing the moment that I learn:

One of these days I'm gonna love me,

And feel the joy of sweet release.

One of these days, I'll rise above me

And at last I'll find some peace.

Then I'm gonna smile a little,

Maybe even laugh a little but

One of these days I'm gonna love me."

Koda stepped out of the way as they all went and dog-piled on him, every one of them hugging him and crying a little as they scolded and told him how worried they had been and how worried Dave had been and how he'd been stupid in leaving and how they were glad that he was talking and singing again. "You could be louder," Brittany teased as she clung to his neck.

"Sorry I left, but I had to find myself again," he finally said, brushing away his own tears.

"When did you lose yourself?"

"A long time ago, I guess." They all laughed a little as Alvin waved Koda over. "Thanks. Even if you were tricking me."

"Hey, you owe me Hotshot," she replied. "You and them are putting on that show. Remember the deal you made with me?"

"How could I forget? Guys, we gotta get started on the songs. Koda…"

"I can handle myself. You just handle the performers. You guys don't have a problem with singing for me, do you?"

"No," was the unison response.

"We have to tell Dave," Theodore piped up.

"He'll come as soon as you're on stage," Koda assured them. "For now, he's probably caught up with Nate and getting those white-coats behind bars so they don't hurt anyone anymore."

"White-coats?" Simon asked.

"That's what I call them. They're mad scientists, literally. They're my enemy, the reason I have no family or home. And I guess they're the reason I met you all. I'd have never met you if I hadn't run away from them and ended up here."

"Thank goodness you did," Brittany told her. "Alvin would still be searching for himself without your help."

MMMMMMMMMM

Song link will be on my page, it's not chipmunk'd though, just the normal song.


	19. Chapter 19

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Ah! Here's a profile update for anyone who's curious: I put the photobucket links to my Remember the Chipmunks vid and a remix I made on my profile, both (obviously) related to my petition. Also, underneat the vids (after you click one of the two links) theres a couple of other links (basically my YouTube and my myspace cause (not myspace account)...it's an app where you can join the causes you care about and spread the word around myspace to get more recruits...some of the causes ask for donations, but even if you can't donate you can still recruit other people who can recruit other people, ect...My cause doesn't need donations, just signatures. So if you have a myspace, please join up and spread the word around on myspace too).

No songs this chapter...but there's pleanty next chapter. Of course the concert is drawing near, so why wouldn't there be songs for a concert? Ah, I can't wait...Enjoy!

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young (they mostly signed it because they want to see family-quality cartoons back on TV, but it's still signatures). Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 19:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 19

"She really revised your classic songs," Jeanette said in a bit of awe as Alvin played out the new Christmas Song on his guitar before turning it over to Jeanette. She was learning to play it while Eleanor learned the drums so the boys could sing their songs down in the audience (mostly so that Simon wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb when he was the only one who couldn't play).

"They sound more modern," Simon agreed. "More suitable for kids that are ready to rock and roll." Theodore was going over the drum part with Eleanor (who was doing very well with her compacted lessons over the last couple days). "And I can't believe I'm teaching Koda to play my bass part.

"I promise I won't ruin it," Koda replied as she soared down. "Those white-coats are still no where in sight. And our concert is gonna be tomorrow!"

"Then in three more days the play," Brittany added. "Then Christmas. I guess this can count for the Christmas concert for us so we don't have to worry about setting up another one…"

"We have to record the instrumental part of most of these songs now, so does everyone know their parts?"

"What else can we sing?" Eleanor finally asked. "I mean, the usual ones aren't going to be enough to last all day without getting old."

"Well…This isn't a paid concert, there's no tickets. It counts as freedom of speech, so you can pretty much do any song you like."

"Any song?" Brittany smiled glanced around the area. "So where's the homeless going to be during this thing?"

"Some of them are going to be ushering the people into this pit here, then others are going to be leading them up the stairs in that building and out the front door. Every song or so to keep it moving. There's not enough room here for all of LA. Then the media and the homeless that aren't working are going to be sitting up there watching."

"We're going to be on the news?"

"Would you have it any other way? Oh! And whoever isn't on stage is going to be going around collecting charity money for a building right here for our homeless. We'll find some trustworthy government guy to help us…"

"Us?" Sophie interrupted. "You are goin' ta spen' Christmas with Nate dear. Outta this cold and somewhere where you can get a sleep free of worry of these white-coat fellows." Koda laughed a little, jumping up and grabbing onto the bass.

"We should play the songs through once before recording, to check any mistakes…Sophie, get that recorder thing I got for this system off Alvin's money." Alvin had had to explain that he'd been stashing the money for months to everyone and that that's what was putting this on, and everyone was all that more impressed with him. He wasn't using his money selfishly for once. Losing his voice had certainly changed him.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

The recording went perfectly and Koda decided that they should start picking other songs. "What's your favorites?"

"I like 'You Give Love a Bad Name'," Alvin said in all his seriousness.

"Great song, but I don't know…"

"Don't Laugh at Me," Simon offered.

"Last. That's a definite closer…Oh Theodore! Could you do me a favor?"

"What favor?" Theodore replied.

"Sing 'I Believe I can Fly', center stage. The song is just perfect for you, ya know?" Theodore nodded. "Everyone else can back you up…Ok, there's two. Alvin, please pick another." Alvin grumbled a little as he sat back against the wall.

"How about me and Alvin do a duet?" Brittany asked, trying to think of something.

"I was hoping we could do a quartet," Eleanor whispered. "You've Got a Friend, since there's four girls here to divide the parts."

"I can't sing…" Koda tried, only to be hushed by Eleanor. "Or we can do that one too. And Brittany and Alvin can have a duet…Eleanor? What's your solo song then?"

"Um…I like the song 'Who I Am.' It's one of my favorites." Koda nodded, looking over to Jeanette. The girl was completely lost in thought, unable to pick out the song she wanted to do solo.

"Give me some time. My mind is blank right now." Koda sighed, laying back on the ground with her arms tucked under her head.

"Do we know all the parts to these songs?" she finally asked, staring up at the grey clouds that were twisting around and showing signs of snow.

"Even if we don't, we can manage," Alvin assured her. "You're not going to freak out and make sure we have it down to the last perfect note, are you?"

"Of course not. Even if you sing with no music they won't mind. Oh! Um, what about the song 'Once Upon a Broken Heart?' Jeanette, that's be perfect for you to lead and your sisters to back you up. I don't know why, but I think your particular voice is perfect for that one." Jeanette glanced up.

"I...don't know it," she finally whispered.

"I'll teach you. Want to give it a try?" Jeanette nodded. "Alright. There we go. So, what's the duet going to be?" Koda looked over at the two after they stayed silent for a moment. "Or you could be clueless. That works too. Hello! Give me some heads-up here."

"Well, what are some duets?" Brittany asked. "I mean, ones that aren't stupid. Sure, 'Somewhere Out There' is nice and a great workout for the voice, but I don't want to sing that on TV." Koda sighed, looking back up to the clouds.

"We can always take a song and divide it up into two parts. I think I'd really like to hear Alvin sing 'Heal the World,' now that he's had a taste of this life, and it's possible to divide it between the two of you. After all, we're not going by the books. Do you know it?"

"Yeah," Alvin replied. "We used to be real big Michael Jackson fans when we were really little…before he went crazy. They played it on the radio in my room last week…"

"I heard you listening to that thing a couple times. See, it's comforting, isn't it?" He nodded. "Teach her the song, divide it between you two. Alright! Everyone break apart and practice!"

"What about you?" Eleanor demanded. "What song are you singing solo?"

"I don't even want to do that one song with you. If it weren't you guys, I wouldn't do this at all. People run away at the sight of me, have nightmares in their sleep of me. I'm not very popular."

"We'll make you popular. Now pick a song."

"Fine. How about…Oh, what's that one song…Cardboard Castles by Diana DeGarmo?"

"Never heard of it…How's it go?"

"It's a song that talks about the life of the poor or homeless or something like that in New York. I know this isn't New York, but homeless is homeless no matter where you're from or who you are."

"Now we're all settled."

"Not quite," Sophie declared. "It's time for dinner and you guys have kept Koda so busy that she hasn't been out scavenging like usual so you'll have to eat at the soup kitchen. Don't worry, I got all new outfits for these guys."

"New outfits?" Brittany perked up.

"Not the good kind," Koda sighed. "The disguise kind that'll hide your identity. Not at all trendy. Kind of like my clompy boots, completely out of fashion. I doubt these were ever in fashion to begin with, but they're what I got that'll hold together out here. Go on in and get changed." The boys had been sharing the room that Alvin had been staying in and the girls were staying in Koda's room. Which got Alvin to start thinking all of a sudden as he thought back to his first night there.

"Hey, Koda?" he asked.

"Hm?"

"Why did you brush off everything I wrote?"

"So you'd get sick of being ignored for not talking and start talking." She glanced over at him. "I'd have paid attention if we were in an awful situation and I was out of ideas."

"You're pretty stuck-up, aren't you?"

"Bingo!"

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"I'm worried sick about them Nate!" Dave finally exploded.

"Koda's probably looking after them," Nate snapped back as they waited outside the police station. "Like it or not, they're probably safer with her right now. Those mad-scientists are still in town and the first people they'll go after is them, just because Alvin was protecting Koda. It's nothing to meddle with."

"Why can't the police just arrest the guys? You know who they are. You can point them out by just walking down the street!"

"It's not that simple. The ones we called in were taken in under cruelty to animals because I was able to prove that they were directly responsible for the things that happened to her in the lab. Animals, Dave. They don't consider her a little girl. And as for your kids, there's no direct proof that those guys are going to harm them, even though I know they would, if given half a chance. They have no respect for anyone, no matter what they are. Grown up or child, rich or poor, chipmunk or human or bat. They don't care, just so long as they can get their tests done."

"How are they safer out there then?"

"She can hear those guys coming a mile a way."

"That's why Alvin got in the middle."

"He probably got in the middle voluntarily. She'd never put anyone in that situation on purpose. I raised her. I know her! I'm the closest thing she has to family."

"That explains why she's living on the streets." Dave spun and walked away, fuming. The doctor didn't even bother trying to explain. He just stormed back into the police station to keep peppering them with the facts and evidence he had to try to protect the kids.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"If it weren't for these clothes I'd be enjoying myself right now," Brittany complained.

"Shh!" Koda demanded. "Don't let on that you're not like the rest of us. One of the servers will find out. They aren't in on the secret. They're just volunteers."

"Besides, I thought you were changing," Eleanor teased.

"Hey, I never said I was turning into the exact opposite," Brittany replied. "I'll never give up appearance. It's everything I live for. I'm a fashion and beauty addict, I can't help it. I'm either going to be a model or fashion designer when I grow up."

"Just in case I get out of the music biz early and she ends up paying the bills," Alvin added quietly. Koda found it interesting that, although they bickered often, the Chipettes and Chipmunks never questioned that they would one day get married to each other. She guessed that the perfect match only came along once in a lifetime, but it was creepy that they were all nine and already knew their perfect match. But at least they were the perfect match, just so long as their personalities didn't change from what they were. A little more maturing and developing would be needed, of course, but as long as they didn't completely change they'd still be perfect for each other in ten more years.

"What about you Koda?" Brittany asked. "What are you going to be?"

"A doctor," Alvin answered for her. "That's what Sophie said."

"And Sophie's right," Koda said. "I want to help as many people as I can as often as I can. I can entertain patients with my musical skills, I can come up with new medicine theories through my botany, and of course there's that simple talent that Nate says I have for the practice. Of course, I have to actually get into school before I can go through college for it."

"So what do you know anyway?" Simon asked, wanting to get an idea on what grade level she was at, aside from her knowledge of botany and anatomy.

"I can add and subtract and multiply and divide in my head, and that goes for fractions too. Sometimes I may take a little while and count on my fingers, but that's ok. Numbers can get pretty big, and I've never had a calculator to help me."

"What about grammar and spelling?"

"I can spell some pretty big words, yeah. And I know all about grammar." She seemed a little nervous, like she was waiting for him to ask something else. But he had the answers he needed. At the very least she'd be in their grade, nothing below. "I can speak five languages too, fluently. Actually, my native language is German."

"You lived in Germany?" Theodore asked, a bit amazed. "We went there once."

"I was born there…but it wasn't all that great for me. I mean, Germany is nice and has nice people, I just wasn't fortunate enough to be in the company of the nicer side. Except for Nate. He was always helping me. He got me away to Ireland when things got real bad, and then we stayed in Scotland for a while. But pretty soon he had to come back to the states and I decided to stay behind. Of course, I hitched a ride on a boat about two months later and ended up in New York and working on Broadway. Then I came here and I've been here for…I think it's two years this Christmas? I didn't know he was in this town until the first Valentines Day, and by then I'd set up my den and made home. So we kept in touch and he still looks after me, but I don't have to stay with him."

"You should," Alvin told her. "It'd be a better life and you'd still be able to help your friends."

"Yeah, but what if I have to leave? If more of those white-coats show up then I'm sunk. I'll have to take off for someplace new. I can't have him uproot himself for me."

"He practically your dad," Eleanor stated. "The whole time he was talking to us when Simon was sleeping, and even after that…He never shut up about you, how proud he was of you and how worried he was for your well-being. He's just like any other worried parent. By the way, where do you get your clothes?" Eleanor was trying to convince Koda that having a family wasn't such a bad thing, and if her guess was true…

"He buys them all for me." Bingo. "Along with a lot of other things, including the pies he brings me once a week and the free check-ups every so often. And I can use his shower sometimes."

"See? You two are already family."

"Not to change the subject," Simon butted in after zoning out on them, "but how much did everything for this concert cost?"

"Under a thousand," Koda replied instantly. "We still have seven dollars left over from what Alvin gave me." Alvin couldn't help but snicker. A whole whopping seven dollars.

"But how? The guitar, the bass, the trap set, the sound system, the recorder…There's just no way."

"You'd be surprised what you know about when you're on the bottom rung of society. I know all the cheap places where you can get stuff like this in prime condition for cheaper than the usual. Ok, not prime. You can see the guitar has deep scratches in the back, but it's not deep enough to mess up the sound. The trap needed a new set of covers for the bass…that I managed to find in the junkyard, luckily enough. As for the bass guitar…That was a lucky find. I had to add in a few things to trade to bring the price down, but I got it for a steal."

"The sound system just needed some re-wiring," Alvin added in, remembering helping her rewire it. "It's amazing what people just throw away."

"We're guilty of that too, you know," Simon reminded him.

"And you just unknowingly donate to me and my intuitive way of making homeless life more bearable," Koda laughed. "Now, is there anything else that's worrying you guys about tomorrow?"

"The white-coats," Theodore whispered. "If you're going to get the media in the middle of this, won't they just have to follow the crowd?"

"Yeah, I guess, but I'm leaving after tomorrow anyway. You six have to keep up what I've started, ok?" Everyone looked up, worry in their eyes.

"Just leaving, just like that?" Brittany said. "Most of us just met you. You can't just up and leave us now. We're your friends, we can help you."

"No matter what you do, you won't change the way society sees me. I can't help it that horror movies have been making critters that look like me for as long as there's been films. What I can help is where I go and what I do. I can help people, but not if those guys catch me. And I'd really be going against my morals letting you get in the middle."

"You let me get in the middle," Alvin reminded her.

"So I did. But that was abrupt, they just showed up. No. Now I have a defense against them."

"Don't leave town just yet," Jeanette mumbled, pushing her glasses up. "We can help without being in danger. Like tomorrow." Koda's ears pressed back against her head with a mixture of worry and interest. It was the first time quiet and reserved Jeanette had spoken up since Koda had met her. It was different, to put it mildly, to be scolded by the shyest of the bunch. "You'll be singing on stage with us and we'll prove to all of LA that you aren't from a horror movie. You're someone that can and will help if people will let you. They'll know that just because innocent kids like us are teaming up with you."

"We'll see what happens, then. If the white-coats even try to go after you, I'm leaving. If they leave you alone then I'll stay and let you help me. How's that for a deal?"

"You can't count us taking the initiative and throwing them off your tail as them coming after us. They may try to get us out of the way if we do that, but that's still something we did to irritate them."

"Fine. Just so long as no one gets hurt." They both nodded, agreeing on the plan.


	20. Chapter 20

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Only four reviews last chapter? Geeze, I'm not feeling the love anymore. But it's better than it used to be...With the other stories I have on the site (on my long-abandoned OTHER account that I can't get into anymore) I had to beg constantly just to get two reviews a chapter. Usually I just got one. So I'm grateful, but unhappy. Anyway, if you want to further discuss my story (please, still review!), go to my page and check out my brand-new just-created-last-night website. It's on proboards and it's a free page so it's not very good right now, so I'm trying to recruit members to help me make it better. So please, come check it out. It's got my stories and my youtube vids and my petition, along with a place for you guys to post your stuff and we can all chat about it together. That's what a message board is after-all (and if it says you have to be 18 to get in there, don't be afraid to say you are...I know it's bad, but I did it just so I could host the site, seeing as I'm 16...but I'm going to try to keep the site decently innocent...and if you do join up, make sure to post your real birthday (even if it's the wrong year) because I intend to celebrate everyone's birthday! ) ).

Now that that's past, this chapter has quite a few songs in it, but bear with it. It is a concert after all!

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young (they mostly signed it because they want to see family-quality cartoons back on TV, but it's still signatures). Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 20:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 20

Dave couldn't take it anymore. Miss Miller had taken the north half of LA to try to find the kids and he was in the south half. They'd been separated by the fog, but it was breaking his heart that they hadn't come home yet. What if those freaks with the tranquilizers had gotten them? It wouldn't be the first time they were attacked for being animals. When they were babies and he had first taken them in the landlord had captured them and sold them to the zoo claiming the 'no pets' policy gave him rights. That's when Dave took legal action to get them declared as his kids and not just pets.

He held his coat close to his neck as he walked into a cafe. Everyone around him seemed excited about something. "You're David Seville, right?" one guy said, stopping to look him in the face. "Father and agent and all that for the Chipmunks?"

"Y-yes?" Dave replied.

"Splendid way to raise them. Just splendid. What are your secrets? Man, I wish my kids wouldn't be so greedy. I wish they'd be nice enough to help out the homeless like yours are."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Don't you know what your own kids are doing?" The man pointed to the TV that was hanging up in the corner, which was turned up decently loud today. The screen had the three boys holding out hats to take donations while singing their friendship song.

"If you wanna have friends,

Don't go stepping on their toes.

Don't tie them to a tree, kick them in the knee,

Or sock 'em in the nose.

If you wanna have friends (if you wanna have friends)."

"It's so wonderful that they're so selfless." Dave stared in wonder, debating on asking where that was taking place or not. "Well, I gotta go see the show. It's free admission! Did you think of it?"

"Not at all. This was all theirs and the Chipettes…and hers…" He noticed Simon and Alvin blocking off some children that were trying to run away from a strange-looking girl and holding out that girl's hat for them to put some change in.

"Batty Koda? Is she really behind this? Who'd have thought the kid that scares all kids would be the angel that helped put this on. Or maybe they're just being charitable."

"Somehow I doubt that. I'm going to bet that it was her who convinced them to do it."

"If you wanna have friends,

There's something you gotta learn.

Like how to keep your cool, don't go acting like a fool.

Learn to take your turn,

You gotta learn to take your turn."

"So why aren't you with them now?"

"I…uh…went to get them something to drink. Which I should probably do that right now, right?"

"Probably." Dave smiled as the man walked away, turning around and ordering seven hot chocolates. At least they were alive. That was what really mattered, but it made him even more proud that they were doing a good deed on top of it. As he was handed the hot chocolates, he asked for the quickest way to get to the concert, pretending he'd taken the long way to get to the café.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"It's simple to be friends (if you wanna be),

It's an easy thing to do (then you gotta be)!

When you're walking down the street,

Treat everyone you meet,

They way the ought to treat you."

Dave slipped in after the first chorus, feeling lucky that he hadn't missed the whole song. It turned out that the café was really just right down the road from this 'den'. People noted that he was there, but didn't think much of it because he was the boys' dad. So grabbed the strange looking girl by the back of her coat.

"Could you give these to the fellas for me?" he whispered as they sang.

"People come and people go,

But friends can last for years.

Now we've got each other, brother,

We're the boys and monster team!"

"Sure," she replied shakily, remembering him from the hospital. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go get Alvin's guitar real fast. Not that the one here isn't nice, it's just…"

"If you wanna wanna wanna wanna wanna be,

Then you gotta gotta gotta gotta gotta be.

If you want to have friends (If you wanna wanna wanna wanna wanna be),

It's the nicest thing to be (Then you gotta gotta gotta gotta gotta be)."

"You figure he'd be better off with his own? Yeah, I can bet on that. This one is so old that it's almost awful sounding. But hey, it's free. Hurry up, maybe you can get in and play along for their updated Christmas song."

"I don't usually play…"

"That's ok. It's a great way to surprise them, so do it this once? Please? We remade it, but the guitar solo is still out of whack. You're the musical man, so maybe you could put together a solo on the spot?"

"Now just look around at all the friends you found,

Like him (and him) (and me!)."

Alvin and Simon had been in front, with Alvin pointing at Simon, Simon at Alvin, and then Theodore pushing between them for the final echo. "I don't think so…"

"And when the party is over,

And the day is done,

If you're gonna be, then we wanna be,

You know we're gonna be,

Then we wanna wanna wanna wanna wanna be friends."

"For the homeless?" Dave sighed, nodding.

"I'll try. Be back in a few. Don't tell them that I'm here."

"(wanna wanna wanna wanna wanna be)

If you wanna be (wanna wanna wanna wanna wanna be)

Then you gotta be.

If you wanna be (gotta gotta gotta gotta gotta be),

Then you gotta be."

"You can count on me."

"Friends."

"Where'd you get the drinks?" Jeanette asked as the boys charmed the crowd between songs.

"A friend of yours…well, not yours personally…well, yeah. But he's closer to the boys. Quench your thirst and warm up. You girls are singing next."

"Which one should we do then? My Mother or Tomorrow from Annie?"

"Do them both. I promised someone I'd stall the Christmas song until he got back. Brittany! Eleanor! Come here!"

"What is it?" Brittany complained, taking the hot chocolate that was offered to her.

"You three are singing two sweet songs right now to buy some time while the boys make the rounds. So get up there and wow them, k?" Koda handed out the rest of the hot chocolate as the boys stepped off the stage for some a cappella singing by the girls.

"This is so nice," one lady said to Alvin. "It's wonderful to see such young celebrities giving back already. I hope you keep this up when you grow up."

"Oh, don't worry, we will," Alvin promised, holding out his hat. And he meant what he said too. He honestly wanted to do good over-all in the long run. "This isn't the only thing we've done either you know. We've saved a circus and a zoo before, stopped a diamond smuggling ring, and then there's the fact that the Chipettes wouldn't be where they are today if we hadn't been there to help them." But a little more publicity never hurt anyone.

"Are you sure you did all that?"

"I'm sure of it," Simon interrupted as the lady put five dollars in Alvin's hat. "And I'm the one that never lies. Well, almost never. I will if it's a matter of keeping a surprise party secret or something like that, but not about something as big as a diamond smuggling ring. We didn't know they were smuggling diamonds then, though, and it was all an accident, but we still helped stop it."

"Just helped?" Alvin laughed. "Jamal would never have caught those two without us."

"You mean the Chipettes," Theodore said. "We'd have been crocodile food without them."

"Your father lets you do all that?" the lady pressed on.

"No. We sort of snuck away while he was on business in Europe…"

"But it was for a hundred-thousand dollar prize!" Alvin argued back. "Besides, more good came out of it than bad, right?"

"That doesn't change the fact that it was the wrong thing to do," Simon snapped.

"Hey!" Koda intervened. As she got in the middle of the three, the lady let out a bit of a scream, backing away. "Stop fighting you three. We're not here to talk about you boys, we're here to talk about the homeless, remember?"

"Yeah."

"Get her out of here before she hurts someone!" another lady yelped.

"She won't hurt anyone!" Alvin snapped at them. "She saved my life. Twice! She's better than any of you and just look how you treat her!"

"She's the reason all the homeless are healthy and the ones that can't get to the soup kitchen are fed," Theodore added. "She's the one that gave them Thanksgiving, and medicine, and…"

"And she's smart enough to rival me," Simon cut in. "She isn't a bad person. Just unlucky enough to look different! If we weren't famous, would you be screaming about us?"

"No," the lady stated. "But you kids are cute. She's…she's…"

"Right out of a horror movie," Koda said, turning her back on the two ladies. "Make the rounds boys." The girls quickly finished their song 'My Mother' and Brittany grabbed onto the only mike before they pushed into Annie's 'Tomorrow.'

"Koda?" she said. "Koda, come here for a minute." Koda walked up to the stage, only to be yanked onto it by the three sisters. "Koda is the reason we're all here performing today for the homeless and, by the way, she's got a magnificent voice. So, while we're going to be singing Tomorrow, we ask that she joins us. What do you all say?" Most of the crowd stayed silent for a few moments, but eventually it worked up into a cheer (a cheer that was no doubt started by Jeremy and Sophie).

"Brittany! I can't!"

"Nonsense." Jeanette and Eleanor each latched onto one of her arms. Brittany smiled and gave her a wink, taking the opening of the song like she had when the Chipettes were babies.

"The sun'll come out tomorrow,

Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow,

There'll be sun."

The other two Chipettes joined in, singing in perfect unison with their sister. The melody almost brought tears to the audiences' eyes, and Koda tried to pry away.

"Just thinking about tomorrow

Clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow

Till there's none."

They pushed Koda front stage, shutting their mouths until she sang. Not wanting to ruin the whole show, she did.

"When I'm stuck with a day

That's grey and lonely…

I just stick out my chin, and grin, and say:"

They grinned, joining back in.

"Oh, the sun'll come out tomorrow,

But you gotta hang on 'til tomorrow,

Come what may.

Tomorrow, tomorrow,

I love ya, tomorrow,

You're always a day away.

Tomorrow, tomorrow,

I love ya, tomorrow,

You're only a day away!"

"I knew you could sing," Brittany whispered. "But it's the boys turn, and didn't you say you wanted them to wait?"

"They have other songs than their Christmas Song," Koda whispered back as she leaped off the stage and latched onto Simon. "Do you boys have anything to hold off the crowds while we wait for our guest to come back?"

"What guest?"

"You'll see. Now, pick any song but the new Christmas one."

"Um…Wow, I've got an idea, but we haven't actually performed this song since we were six."

"Well, improve on it and show off! By the way, what is it?"

"The Alvin Twist. Well…it'll be remixed when we sing it." Simon pulled his brothers up on the stage, grinning as the Chipettes grabbed onto the instruments so the boys could dance. This would wake up the crowd. "The spot-light's all yours."

"Thanks," Alvin replied.

"Come on Simon, do the Alvin Twist."

"They like it!"

"Come on Theodore, how can you resist?"

"I can't!"

"You gotta twist way up,

You gotta twist way down.

You gotta jump, turn, and twist around.

Everybody, do the Alvin Twist!"

The two younger brothers glared a little as no one was dancing, so they leaped off of the stage as the song came to the part for the three of them to sing.

"Here we go now, listen to the beat.

Once you've got it, start to move your feet.

You've gotta move your hips,

You've gotta move your knees,

Come on relax, do the twist with me.

Everybody, do the Alvin Twist."

Koda's ears strained, and she sniffed the air. She couldn't tell if Dave had returned yet because of the loudness of the music and all the mixing scents, and she had no idea how long it'd take him to get back to the suburb the Chipmunks lived in to get the guitar and get back.

"Lean way back. (lean way in)."

"Turn and twist till your head starts spinnin'."

"You look good (you look fine)."

"Just keep on twisting like a honey-suckle vine.

Twistin', everywhere you go. Yeah!

From old Boston, to the Alamo."

Koda flew up above the buildings, dancing a little when she reached the top. The beat was so fun for a remix of a song they'd sung when they were six.

"If you wanna be good, if you wanna be fine,

And get your fun and your exercise,

Everybody (everybody!) do the Alvin Twist."

"Now they're going to calm down and sing something sweet," Eleanor volunteered them as the music came to a halt.

"We are?" Theodore whispered, his voice echoing in the mike because he was about to say something else when Eleanor had volunteered them. Everyone got a good laugh from that.

"Sure! I've wanted to hear your boys sing that Eagle song again since you sang it for us on the way back to LA…remember?"

"I do!" Alvin exclaimed. "Sure, we'll sing it. It's called Flying with the Eagles." The homeless led the current audience through Koda's little home set-up and some others pulled a new audience in.

"Watch as the Earth becomes smaller,

Smile as the breeze is winding me

But isn't it grand?

We are miles from sea and years from land.

Look at the space that surrounds us,

Feel as we glide through a blue-white cloud.

Floating so free, what is up ahead?

We'll see…"

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Dave had a hard time convincing Sophie and Jeremy to let him in a second time, having to pull out his wallet and show all the family pictures to prove that he really was David Seville to them. Finally, though, they let him lug the guitar around backstage quietly without any notification to the kids that he was there. He'd had practice being invisible when setting up or fixing something at the Chipmunks' concerts. He'd made it just in time to hear the ending of a song he'd never heard them sing before.

"Look, now the stars are appearing.

So close we almost can touch their soft, glistening light.

They are angels in disguise…

We're flying with the eagles now,

We've just begun our sail.

We've got a mission,

Don't back down.

It'll be a wondrous tale.

We'll land on every foreign shore,

But we're not long to stay.

We're heading toward the rainbows and

Where the sun is shining,

Flying with the eagles now,

And we must be on our way.

We're heading toward the rainbows and

Where the sun is shining,

Flying with the eagles now,

And we must be on our way."

"Thank you everyone!" he heard Alvin calling out as the crowd cheered, and then he had to glance up as the crowd gasped. The bat-girl was flying in. "What's up?"

"Sing the Christmas Song now, ok?" The girls started playing the music they'd been taught.

"Sure…Alright guys!" They leaped down off the stage, charming the crowd like they'd been born to do. "Oh yeah!"

"Christmas, Christmas time is here,

Time for joy and time for cheer.

We've been good but we can't last,

Hurry Christmas, hurry fast."

Dave was surprised at how fast the song went now that it had been re-made. There was no doubt that this rock-re-make was going to put it back at the top of the charts. It'd been off for a few years and only played as a classic since they'd started going to school, but now it was going to appeal to a wider variety of people. He liked it, a lot. He made a note in the back of his head to go to Alvin a little more for musical tips. The kid was getting to be a genius.

"Want a plane that loops-the-loop…"

"Me, I want a hula-hoop!"

"We can hardly stand the wait,

Please Christmas don't be late."

"Hey, hey!

Oooooh, come on!"

The boys all jolted when they heard the solo playing out over top of the other guitar that Brittany was playing. All three looked back in shock, staring at first and then grinning as they realized that Dave was playing a solo he'd never even heard before. That was their dad alright. "Guys, that was excellent!" Dave called out over the music. "Simon, great work."

"Naturally," Simon replied on cue.

"Theodore, good job." The littlest one giggled, turning around to see where Alvin was. The oldest had jumped out into the audience and was running around trying to pry out a few more donations. "Alvin, you were a little flat, watch it. Alvin? AL-VIN!"

"Two three four!" the oldest called out as he leaped back on the stage.

"Christmas, Christmas time is here,

Time for joy and time for cheer.

We've been good but we can't last,

Hurry Christmas, hurry fast."

"Want a plane that loops-the-loop…"

"I still want a hula-hoop."

"We can hardly stand the wait,

Please Christmas don't be late.

We can hardly stand the wait,

Please Christmas don't be late.

Don't be late,

Don't be late,

Don't be late,

Don't be late…"

"Christmas don't be late!"

As soon as the song was over, the boys didn't even wait for Dave to put the guitar down before tackling him. "I looked everywhere for you guys!" he exclaimed, catching them all while balancing the guitar over his shoulder.

"We've been right here, putting this show together," Simon confessed. "Sorry we didn't come straight home, but Koda said it'd be safer to just stay here, and it's true. What with those mad-scientists out there somewhere we've got a sort of fortress here."

"I can see that." He hugged them tightly, then let Simon and Theodore go. But, try as Alvin might, Dave just wouldn't let go of the squirming kid. "Now what about you?"

"I can sing again!" Alvin said with his biggest smile, trying to avoid trouble.

"I can hear that, and I'm happy for you, but did you have to run away to do that?"

"Kinda, yeah…I had to find myself again." Dave blinked, a little confused. "I was getting so caught up in being something I wasn't that I had no idea who I even was anymore! What with Brittany nit-picking on me looking perfect and all the paparazzi attacking every other flaw…And Cal! He attacked the way I felt about you guys!"

"We figured that much out when he attacked my wrist," Simon piped up. "Which, thanks by the way, since I forgot to tell you earlier."

"For what?"

"Coming to see me, even if you didn't actually stop to say 'get well soon.'"

"We can finish this later over dinner," Dave interrupted. "But you six…"

"Seven, Dave," Theodore interrupted. "Don't forget Koda."

"Alright, seven. You seven have a show to put on…Oh! Girls, Miss Miller's been worried sick about you three. She wouldn't leave the police station for three days because she was determined that they weren't looking hard enough. They finally dragged her home because she was getting everyone sick."

"We're fine, really," Jeanette said with a smile. "But like you said, we have a show."

"Which reminds me," Alvin interrupted, finally squirming free of Dave. "Koda! Remember that piano piece I had you record before everyone else came?"

"Yeah?" she said as she soared down from her post above.

"Play it now."

"Now?"

"Yes. Dave, there aren't any seats, but you're welcome to a front row view." Their dad could only smile with happiness and stare with confusion as he was led down the stairs by the girls (who then grabbed their hats and went to make the rounds). Tears came to his eyes as he heard the music that Alvin had been referring to.

"Sometimes the going gets rough,

And it seems that dreams aren't enough,

But there's somebody there to see us through,

And we're so glad it's you.

When nothing goes like we planned,

And our problems get all out of hand,

There's someone who knows just what to do,

And we're so glad it's you.

Without you we'd never have tried,

Reaching for the goal we could see,

And you taught us how to do our best

And be all we could be.

We don't always show that we care,

But you now we'll always be there,

And for who we love best,

We'll tell you who,

We're so glad…

We're so glad it's you."


	21. Chapter 21

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Grr. Only four? Come on guys. I'm really not feeling the love anymore...Anyway, like before, check out my page for links (for songs, my petition, **AND MY MESSAGE BOARD**...sorry that's in caps and bolded...I want people to notice that thoug. It's very lonely with only two members besides myself). As for this chapter, it's short, but a lot happens. OH! For anyone that reads this, do you think my writing is good enough to pull off a story about a modern-day roller skater? (You know how they used to skate with those regular skates, not in-line skates, and how they used to do all sorts of ice skating tricks on those? I got an idea when I found an old pair up at the local sports store and my mom started telling me about how my grandpa almost went PROFESSIONAL with his skills on them...of course, naturally, the young girl in my story would have a grandpa that had almost gone professional and she'll have a talent for them too...so to prove to the world that she's just just another weird-o, she signs up for the local Queens contest (that has a talent portion) and uses a roller skating routine to wow everyone). Think it's possible for me? I hate chicky stories, so it'll probably end up being less of a chick-book than it sounds like it's gonna be.

Oh, and to answer a question someone asked me (I'm not sure who at the moment or how long ago it was), yes, I'm going to be writing an out-right romance for these guys. But right now, they're nine. In my next story, they're ten. I think that's a little too young for a full-out romance. That's why the third installment of this is for them when they're Seniors in high school. K? That's where the real romance is gonna set in. Until then, it's just friendships and crushes that they won't admit to at best.

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young (they mostly signed it because they want to see family-quality cartoons back on TV, but it's still signatures). Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 21:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 21

The show was going great, and when they'd left for lunch break the crowds had gone wild. They'd started to head for the nearby soup kitchen they'd been eating at recently, but Dave pulled them to the café instead. He knew they'd have enough money to pay all the bills again soon, so it was ok to treat all seven kids. And Koda's eyes got so huge when she saw the food Theodore ordered for her (she'd set aside the menu and asked the expert to pick for her). She started to back away with the 'I can't accept this' but the chipmunks convinced her otherwise.

Now the sun was starting to set, but the crowd was as thick as ever. Fellow students, the school faculty, and even the people from the hospital (Nate and his cousin included) were there now. Even the crabby old teacher was there with her granddaughter, and they gave a donation of a hundred dollars.

"Koda, I'm so proud of you," Nate said as he scooped the bat-girl into his arms. "You even sang on stage today."

"I have a number all to myself right before Simon." They jumped as Simon bolted on stage, being completely rude for once and pushing Alvin out of the way.

"Sophie! Hold on a minute!" he shouted. "Bring the director over here; I want to talk to him." When everyone looked, they calmed down because Sophie was leading the director of the Christmas musical out. At least Simon had a reason to his madness.

"Can we sing now?" Brittany said in her usual stuck-up voice.

"Yeah, sure." Simon jumped off the stage, glad that most of the media had gotten bored and they weren't being played live anymore on most of the news channels. They got the breaks before and after commercials, and there had been a break when some news crews had interviewed them, but other than that the paparazzi had had to move on to other news or lose their jobs. But the fans were back, that was what counted.

"You're first." Brittany pushed Alvin forward, but for the first time that day he backed away. So far he'd only sung with his brothers, a solo here and there, but they were still with him. It was during his last solo with Brittany that he had lost his voice. He shook his head to clear out any fear. "We're waiting for you, Alvin."

"I'm getting there!" Alvin snapped back. "Give me a minute!"

"Touch-ey!" He glared, but pulled his hat off his head to smooth back his hair. "You don't have to be perfect you know."

"Since when? I thought you always wanted me to look my best."

"Not on stage!" Theodore cried.

"You do look your best," Brittany snapped, ignoring Theodore. "I was just so caught up that I never took the time to really see you." Alvin cocked his eyebrow. "And I'm s-s-so…Oh, you know what I mean." Alvin smiled, happy that he'd made the high and mighty Royal Brittany come even that close to saying 'sorry.'

"Music!" Koda called as she squirmed from Nate's arms.

"There's a place in your heart  
And I know that it is love  
And this place could be much  
Brighter than tomorrow.  
And if you really try  
You'll find there's no need to cry  
In this place you'll feel  
There's no hurt or sorrow.  
There are ways to get there  
If you care enough for the living  
Make a little space, make a better place."

Brittany, for once in her life, didn't just shove Alvin out of the way to get to center stage. She just calmly stepped up and took her place beside him.

"Heal the world  
Make it a better place  
For you and for me and the entire human race  
There are people dying  
If you care enough for the living  
Make a better place for  
You and for me."

Brittany smiled as Alvin pulled his has off and went to the edge of the stage to collect donations while she sang her solo.

"If you want to know why  
There's a love that cannot lie  
Love is strong  
It only cares for joyful giving.  
If we try we shall see  
In this bliss we cannot feel  
Fear or dread  
We stop existing and start living  
Then it feels that always  
Love's enough for us growing  
Make a better world, make a better world."

Alvin stepped back as the chorus rolled around again, accidentally brushing shoulders with Brittany. They glanced at each other as the song continued.

"Heal the world  
Make it a better place  
For you and for me and the entire human race.  
There are people dying  
If you care enough for the living  
Make a better place for  
You and for me."

The rest of the kids jumped up to sit on the edge of the stage, humming a pretty back-up as Alvin and Brittany sang the next part of the song.

"And the dream we would conceived in  
Will reveal a joyful face  
And the world we once believed in  
Will shine again in grace  
Then why do we keep strangling life  
Wound this earth, crucify it's soul  
Though it's plain to see, this world is heavenly  
Be God's glow."

Alvin gave Brittany a friendly push, letting her sing the first half of the last verse, even though they'd rehearsed it for him to sing it.

"We could fly so high  
Let our spirits never die  
In my heart I feel  
You are all my brothers."

With a nod and a smile, he joined in with her.

"Create a world with no fear  
Together we'll cry happy tears  
See the nations turn  
Their swords into plowshares  
We could really get there  
If you cared enough for the living  
Make a little space to make a better place.

Heal the world  
Make it a better place  
For you and for me and the entire human race  
There are people dying  
If you care enough for the living.  
Make a better place for you and for me."

Everyone else decided to join in to give the rest of the song more emphasis, to try to make sure everyone heard their meaning and ignored who'd originally sung it. They sung the chorus two more times before continuing with the finale of the song.

"There are people dying if you care enough for the living  
Make a better place for you and for me.  
There are people dying if you care enough for the living  
Make a better place for you and for me."

They took the repeating lines and left Alvin and Brittany to sing over top of them.

"Make a better place (you and for me),

Make a better place (you and for me),

Make a better place (you and for me).

Heal the world we live in (you and for me),

Save it for our children (you and for me).

Heal the world we live in (you and for me),

Save it for our children (you and for me).

Heal the world we live in (you and for me),

Save it for our children (you and for me).

Heal the world we live in (you and for me),

Save it for our children (you and for me).

Heal the world we live in (you and for me, you and for me)…"

"Save it for our children."

"You two were great," the teacher's grand-daughter complimented as they stepped off the stage. "You're my favorite."

"So I've heard," Alvin laughed back. "The teacher really picks on us because we're famous…and me because she said something about me being your favorite?"

"Granny's weird like that. She likes you too, she just learned to be meaner to the people she likes the most…I guess it's the way she was raised. She's nice to me and my mom though, so she's not all bad. Bye." The little girl ran off, grabbing the teacher's hand to leave.

"Your turn Koda," Brittany said, dragging the girl towards center-stage. "You promised, and now it's your turn! Come on."

"You're not welcome here!" they all heard Sophie shouting. With a glance towards the entrance, they saw most of the homeless that had stuck around all day trying to hold off about five people, each of them with tranquilizer guns slung over their shoulders.

"Out of the way, missy," one of them demanded, pushing her aside and pulling out his gun. "Now, this may not be a real bullet, but I guarantee that it still hurts. Back away now." No one obeyed.

"The likes of you aren't welcome here. Koda isn't just some piece of property."

"I beg to differ." Koda glanced around, upset to find that they were coming through her little home too. That left only one alternative. Up and over the bleachers.

"This way," she hissed at all the chipmunks. "The grown-ups can follow, but they're not going to do anything rash enough to get us out of here."

"With good reason!" Simon hissed back. "No one wants to get shot."

"It's just a tranquilizer. Besides, the only person they'll actually capture is me. They won't hurt anyone else aside from knocking them out…at least, they never have before."

"How many times have they caught you?" Theodore asked.

"Never. But they've found me plenty. From England to Ireland to Broadway to now…But I won't ever let them catch me. They're heartless."

"Then just fly," Brittany spat.

"They'll shoot me down like I was just some duck! What I need is a riot, of sorts. Will you help me?"

"I will," Alvin said. "I owe you plenty more than just this."

"Anyone else?"

"Alvin's nothing without us," Simon sighed, glancing at Theodore (who nodded timidly).

"And I can't let anything happen to Theodore," Eleanor said sweetly, wrapping her arm comfortingly around the boy.

"I'm in," Jeanette said quietly. "If we don't do something, they just might turn to violence. If they've been chasing you so far for so long, they've got to be frustrated and fed up by now."

"I don't want to be left behind!" Brittany finally exclaimed, a little too loudly. She yelped as she heard a shot in her direction. It planted in the ground at her feet because the white-coats didn't have a good chance to aim, but it was too close.

"Now!" Koda shouted, taking off running, leaping up the bleachers with all the chipmunks in tow. Dave and Nate were shouting for them to stop, that they were crazy and they were going to get hurt, but so far Koda had proved to have plenty of wisdom (the sort that didn't seem wise until it actually worked out just how she'd planned…kind of like Alvin's weird sort of wisdom).

The mad scientists were shooting their tranquillizers at will, but the randomized zig-zagging gave the kids the advantage. They were small, quick (for the most part), and well-equipped to get out of there. And once they were out of there, they followed Koda to the nearest fire escape. She got them up and through some open window, through that building, and out the other side in some other alley.

"What now?" Jeanette asked.

"Now…now I'm afraid to say we split up. Alvin, you take a group to the police station. We have to get these guys arrested. You do remember the way to the police station, right?" He nodded. "As for my group…I only need two people, and we're going to be setting up traps."

"Math and science involved?" Simon asked.

"Only some calculations that I'd probably need you and Jeanette for."

"So I get everyone else?" Alvin asked, glancing at his youngest brother and the other two Chipettes.

"Hurry." Koda latched onto Jeanette's arm to keep her from falling over as they ran one way and Alvin took his bunch the other way.

"You really learned how to navigate the streets, didn't you?" Brittany tried to joke as Alvin led her through what was the smelliest place she could ever remember being in. And that included everywhere they went when they went around the world.

"You don't spend a month out here without learning where the important buildings are. Especially if you've become one of Koda's special projects. That girl is so strange. You know what? I think her forcing me to stop writing down what I wanted to say did me good."

"How'd she force you?" Theodore asked.

"She'd never read a word of it. She always either ignored it or brushed me off or made some excuse about bad eyes. And her eyes aren't bad, especially with those glasses. She can see things like a hawk…Of course, take those glasses off and she can't go two feet without running into something."

"She is a bat," Eleanor reminded him. "Bats are known for the fact that they're more or less blind. That's why people say 'blind as a bat' all the time."

"But she's a bat that has glasses. Here, this is our stop."

"I didn't think it'd be that close," Brittany gasped as Alvin pulled her to the corner of the street. People paused to stare a bit, but generally kept on moving. They were used to seeing stars out around town here. Of course, any tourists around were stopping and taking pictures. Alvin was actually grateful for once to run across the street and get away. Fans were great, but not when you're on a life or death mission (life or death for everyone you care about that is).

"Yes?" the police officer started, pausing to look up from her papers. "May I help you?" She was obviously interested in the fact that it was Alvin and his friends, but she had to keep her professional persona up.

"There's some nutcases that are out trying to shoot our friend!" Theodore blurted.

"Make it sound so much nicer than it really is," Brittany scolded. "There are these mad scientists that are trying to tranquilize our friend so they can take her back to their secret lab to perform strange genetic tests on her for the rest of her life as though she were just some plant or something that didn't have feelings. I don't care if you call it child abuse or animal abuse, but it's still abuse!"

"That's quite a story kids…" the officer started, but Alvin turned on the nearest TV, turning it up so she could hear it. The news was covering the entire story about the interruption of the concert by guys with guns, threatening anyone that got in their way.

"Those guys," he stated flatly. "You have to catch them before they hurt her."

"You don't have to tell me twice." She was amazed that no other cops had been called to attention. Probably because it was the bat-girl that was in question. No one stood up when it came to that kid. She was just way to scary and threatening looking.


	22. Chapter 22

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Six! I'm feeling the love again...Um, did I forget to add a link to my page yesterday? Sorry about that. It's added now. It's so strange to think we're in the twenties (chapter wise) now. Goo...Hey adoring fans? (said with cutsey batting of the eyelashes). I need help with starting the next story. I know how I want it to go from the second chapter on, I just can't seem to actually START it. The only thing I got right now is that it's the week before the last week of school (monday) and I want to have them throw a party that friday (a surprise party for Koda!) and hold it at Nate's house...but as for actual details, I'm stumped. Any help?

Oh, and for who hasn't yet...Please check out my message board. We can chat it up about anything you like there (even though the top sections are just for the Chipmunks). Well...not quite ANYTHING, because I want to keep the site decently innocent (not as innocent as Theodore mind you...probably as innocent as Simon though).

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young (they mostly signed it because they want to see family-quality cartoons back on TV, but it's still signatures). Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 22:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 22

"That's settled," Koda said with a giggle. It was such a simple trap, but Simon and Jeanette had hidden it so well. The nets were set up all around the back alleys, along with some ropes that Simon and Jeanette would pull tight to trip up their pursuers and some other nifty little tricks. "And not a moment too soon."

"How is this going to stop them?" Jeanette asked, as she was dragged to the first spot. "They have knives on them, right? I saw one of them with a knife. They'll just cut themselves through."

"But it buys enough time for the police to find us," Simon said. "Besides, remember the first trap we set? If everything goes at least closely to my calculations, then we'll get there right as the curtains are about to open up. All we have to do is sneak in the back door, take our positions on stage, have them come out threatening us, and then bam. The evidence will be right there, just waiting for them to get life in jail. The show is being broadcast nationally."

"What show is it?"

"I'm not sure, but that doesn't really matter."

"Great. Simon isn't sure about something. What next? Alvin's going to become the smart one?"

"Not a chance. Shh." Koda had flown off, but they could see her gliding overhead and they could hear the tramping of boots nearby. Almost as soon as the mad-men came into view, Simon and Jeanette pulled down on the rope beside them. It brought a couple of tied up chairs swinging down at the men, who instantly dropped to the ground to wait for the chairs to stop swinging. It was too low for the men to crawl under, so they just held their hands over their heads as they laid face down while Simon and Jeanette snuck past the next trap (Koda was poised to knock over a stack of rubble they had set up as soon as the scientists showed up) and latched onto the trigger that would pull the scientists up into the netting.

It was in a little closed off area, due to something or other falling over and making a bridge between to dilapidated buildings. Koda had determined that it was strong enough to at least pull the white coats up, even if it didn't hold them. They wouldn't get hurt. Much. Jeanette had been skeptical on that 'much,' but Simon had determined that when the boards fell, they would fall in a way that most likely wouldn't hit any of the scientists. He wouldn't have gone along with it; no matter how mad the scientists were, if they would get hurt. He was against hurting people like that, especially considering it could kill someone. He said the 'much' came from the fact that they'd probably get bruised up from being flopped back on the ground.

It didn't take too long before they heard the yelps and shouts of the men as they dodged falling clay pots and rusty pans. Then they spotted Koda landing on the boards up above, shouting taunts as the men continued to run after her, shooting their tranquilizer darts at her (which she dodged with laughter). "Aw, I'm even standing still for you!" Simon and Jeanette flipped the trigger, the men yelping some more as they were catapulted up into the air for a few seconds before they heard the cracking of wood.

While Koda soared around and watched as the men fell to the ground, the two chipmunks moved on down their little obstacle course. "Someone's going to have to get to the stage earlier than the rest," Simon mumbled as they split up to latch onto the rope so they could trip up the men, Koda again soaring over them. It was a good few minutes before the men caught up, again falling for the trap as they were looking up instead of watching where they were going.

"Go ahead Simon," Jeanette whispered as they darted on. "I can handle the next one alone, and you just said someone has to get there." Simon adjusted his glasses, looking at her. "I can do this."

"Alright." He forced a smile, giving her a quick, friendly hug before hurrying on. Koda was circling the area like a hawk, probably listening to everything.

"There she is!" two shouted, aiming their guns. Jeanette glanced around behind them, but if the rest were following they were doing a good job of hiding. She sucked in a deep breath, watching as Koda dodged the darts with ease. It was a sharp metal object that got her though. As she was dodging she rammed her shoulder into it and she was so surprised that she forgot to hold her wings out and she came tumbling to the ground. Jeanette pulled the trigger for their trap, running to Koda's side as the bat-girl (now tangled in all the lines that had been strung between the two buildings) hit the ground.

"Jeanette, get out of here," Koda hissed. "Catch up with Simon…"

"They're after you. If anyone should be running, it's you." Jeanette helped pull the lines off from around Koda, helping her get herself out of her knot that was holding her wings down.

"What's the matter, Batty?" someone snarled, kneeling with his tranquilizer pointed right at her. "Can't fly? What a cryin' shame."

"Jeanette…" Koda warned as the normally timid and clumsy Chipette spun around, glaring in the direction of the enemy.

"Just hurry up and untangle yourself!" Jeanette hissed back, trembling.

"Out of the way, darling," the man warned, the rest of his team piling up behind him as they rubbed their bruises. "I'm only here for the experiment."

"She's not just some experiment! She's my friend, and she's close enough to be one of my sisters. I'm not letting anyone hurt her." She watched as he held up his hand, wiggling his pinkie finger a little in some weird gesture to his men.

"Alright then. Have it your way. Men, fire at will."

"No!" Koda yelped, trying to jump in the way as Jeanette ran at him. The bat-girl wasn't sure whether to laugh at Jeanette's charge or scream at the smart-girl's stupidity. The man seemed to find it funny. He merely stood up and shot the dart at Jeanette, catching her in the shoulder. The men stood back cracking up as though it was the funniest thing ever. Jeanette yelped, wrapping her fingers around the dart as it held fast in her shoulder. She was already feeling it numbing her shoulder.

"Give up?" Jeanette jumped towards him, trying to get his tranquilizer. At least that would be one less Koda would have to dodge. As soon as Jeanette latched onto the tranquilizer, though, he threw it against the brick wall, knocking the poor girl out. Koda snarled and hissed, latching her toes around Jeanette's upper arms and soaring off into the air. She had to be completely conscious of the extra weight and the soreness in her shoulder, but she managed to avoid them long enough to get to the building where Simon was.

Koda scooped Jeanette up, pushing her way in through the back door as the men continued shouting. The reason she'd been able to lose them was because they'd had to reload. "Simon!" she shouted.

"What?" he hissed back, holding a wire in his teeth and the door to a circuit breaker with his hand. "I'm trying to set this up so we can just flick the big screens on to catch these guys in action."

"Well hurry!" Simon glared a little, but then noticed what she was carrying.

"Je…Jean…Jeanette?"

"Those guys are heartless, Simon. Hurry!" She laid Jeanette down, spinning around to catch any darts they shot. Her shoulder ached and she knew she wasn't going to be flying much more for a while, not if Nate had anything to say about it.

"That's it girlie," the first one said quietly. "Just stay in front of them and they won't get hurt. You're catching on. Come with us and we won't ever bug you're little friends again."

"Ladies and gentleman!" the announcer on the other side shouted, freezing the mad-men in their tracks as the curtains began to open. He kept rattling on about the show, even as the crowd gasped at the scene before them. Once final fix and the TV screens, inside and out of the building, all showed exactly what was going on.

"She's mad!" one scientist shouted.

"She's mad?" Simon screamed back. "You're the ones that hurt Jeanette!" He took his spot beside the Koda, hoping that security would be enough until Alvin got there. The people in the audience were screaming, which wasn't helping one bit, and the security was chasing after any scientist they caught sight of. Simon yelped when he felt someone latch onto him.

"Hush now boy," the mad-man sneered into his ear. "You seem pretty smart, so you should be smart enough to figure out how much danger you're in right now. All over some silly little girl."

"We never give an inch to the wrong side of the war." Simon glared at the man while he wondered why he just said that. It made sense, but it was so philosophical, almost poetic in a way.

"Wrong side? Do you know what she is? By rights, she's our property."

"By rights, she's a child who's IQ is almost as high as mine and she's got friends and family that care for her!"

"Family? My little expirament has family?"

"Yeah. Everyone she's ever helped considers her close as a sister or daughter or…" The man burst out laughing.

"A scrawny chipmunk with an injured wrist dares to tell me that other people have rights to my creation? I am her parent, her only parent, for I created that monstrosity!" Simon squirmed and tried to hit the guy while Koda was backed into a corner, clutching Jeanette on her back (where she'd returned her friend as soon as the little 'fight' broke out). "Enough." He tossed Simon aside, waltzing up and pushing through his men. "Batty, it's time to come home."

"Never," she spat, latching her feet onto a rope as she caught Simon's eye. He flipped the switch that controlled the rope, and the machine pulled Koda plenty above her pursuers' heads. Still clutching onto Jeanette (who was now hanging in her arms, upside down for lack of a better way to hold the girl), she let go of the rope, flipping herself over like a cat to clutch onto the little dome over where the orchestra would sit if there was an orchestra (which there wasn't one tonight). Then she leaped over that, running up the stairs (after again resituating Jeanette in her arms) through a path cleared by some loud-mouthed people who knew enough to demand a path be made for the injured.

"You're losing," Simon told the guy, putting himself between all the men and his friends. The audience was moving back to block the aisle again, knowing very well that those men were the bad guys in this case. He closed his eyes as the man once again latched onto his shirt, but that didn't last long.

"Drop the kid!" he some man shouting, then the pounding of feet, and finally his own self being dropped to the floor. He opened his eyes, catching sight of his brothers and Jeanette's sisters. They ran to him, glaring at the mad scientists as the police locked them in handcuffs. "You have the right to remain silent, anything you say will be used against you…" Simon almost laughed as the cop messed up the lines in his anger.

"Are you alright?" Alvin asked, his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"I'm fine…But…" Simon whispered, looking around. "Did you guys see where Koda went? She took Jeanette…Jeanette! The hospital! That has to be it…"

"There you are!" they heard Dave shouting as he pulled himself on stage and ran over to engulf all five children in a hug. "Where's Jeanette?"

"And Koda?" Nate said as he caught up too.

"I think Koda took Jeanette to the hospital," Simon told them. "Those guys hurt Jeanette…" He hadn't realized how much he was trembling until Dave hushed him and started rubbing his back to calm him down.

"We need some statements," another cop said, coming up timidly with a clipboard full of papers and a couple pens.

"Then come down to the hospital to get them," Nate snapped. "Come on; let's try to beat her there. If we don't, we won't be able to tie the kid down."

"What happens if we don't 'tie her down'?" Eleanor asked.

"She'll probably disappear from our lives forever." Everyone stared at him; they knew the look in his eyes. It was that look Dave got whenever he heard that something was wrong with the boys, or Miss Miller got when she heard something had happened to the girls. Nate felt like the girl's father, and he wasn't about to give her up now.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"She'll be fine, Miss Miller, you don't have to over stress the situation. It'd probably be better for Jeanette if you stay home. She's only stuck in the hospital until tomorrow afternoon, just to make sure the damage isn't worse. But it's still a light blow to the head, so she's not supposed to over exert herself for the next few days…"

The kids listened as Dave explained to Miss Miller what was going on. The Chipette's caretaker had come down with the flu and had been stuck at home while her girls were missing, but now she was determined to come and visit with Jeanette.

"No, Miss Miller. If you come here you could get Jeanette sick. Then she'd be stuck here longer. Just rest and get better so you can help her get better." They were sitting in the waiting room for the time-being. Nate had hurried in, alerting the staff that Koda had dropped off a patient. When they found Jeanette, out cold in a bed in an empty room, Koda was long gone. He'd sent his cousin out to tell them how Jeanette was and that they couldn't come see her just yet.

That was almost an hour ago.

"Did she listen?" Brittany asked as Dave shut his cell up. She and Eleanor were latched together just like Alvin and Theodore were on either side of Simon to comfort him.

"It took some demanding, but she realized that it was best for Jeanette's health. I feel awful telling her she can't come…"

"But it's for the best," Simon mumbled, shaking his head a bit. "If I'd had stayed instead of going ahead…She wouldn't have been hurt like that."

"You did what you could!" Alvin hissed back at his brother. His new attitude startled everyone, but it also made them feel pride deep inside because Alvin's good heart was shining through. Sure, he had crazy schemes, but deep down he was just as good and innocent as Theodore…well, maybe not as innocent, but he was just as good deep down in his heart. "We all wanted to help Koda, to save her, and we did. And those nutcases are locked up and Jeanette's going to be just fine."

"It could have been worse!"

"So? It wasn't, and be grateful for that. Besides, if you could go back and change it, what would you do?"

"Be there…"

"That wouldn't change what kind of people were after us. They'd probably have hurt both of you. Then what would Koda have done? Carried both of you? Simon, she's strong, but that'd break her bones. They're hollow you know."

"Since when did you know so much about flying mammals?"

"She told me. Because she's the size she is she can hold onto one more passenger that's no more than three times her weight and still catch the wind in her wings...And she only weighs twenty some pounds because her bones are hollow. It strains her muscles some when it gets closer to that higher number, but she's used to it."

"That's nice to hear," they heard Nate behind them. "You can come visit her now. She's awake, and I'm sure she'll enjoy seeing you all. But you can't stay too long. Visiting hours were over two hours ago."

"Isn't there a rule where a guardian has to stay the night with the patient?" Dave asked, glancing at all the kids around him. He was the only technical guardian there.

"Yes there is, and I was meaning to ask you. Do you think I would count as a guardian? I wouldn't be able to go home tonight anyway." Dave smiled, nodding, as Nate led them solemnly to Jeanette's room.

"Jeanette!" the sisters yelled when they arrived, running over and jumping on her bed.

"Be careful!"

"Hey guys!" Jeanette greeted with a smile, her eyes still glazed over with sleep. She was barely awake, thanks to that stupid tranquilizer. They noticed that she had a band-aide over where it had struck her. She looked around, her smile fading in an instant. "Where's Koda?"

"She's not coming back," Nate said. Everyone could see he was forcing himself to keep a straight face.

"Why not?"

"She said if they ever found her, she'd head out for Canada. Well, they found her. She's going to Canada." Jeanette looked even more upset.

"She…What a jerk!" Now it was Jeanette's turn to have everyone stare at her in wonder. "She didn't even say goodbye!" Jeanette crossed her arms, the sleep darting from her eyes pretty quickly, but there was no doubt that the meds were what was making all her inner-most thoughts burst from her lips and show in the expression on her face. "Alvin, do you still have that whistle?"

"Yeah," Alvin said, pulling it out from under his hat and handing it to her. Everyone tried to stop her as she climbed out of bed, pulling herself away from the machines and making her way over to the window.

"Jeanette, you have to get back in bed," Nate demanded.

"No!" Jeanette shouted back, sounding quite bratty. She pushed the window open, almost falling backwards at the cold air. Pushing the window open had made her dizzy, but the cold air made her head pound. But she was persistent, and she put the whistle against her lips and pushed out as much air as she could through the thing, clenching her tightly shut as the shrill sound cut through the night. "She has to come back. We didn't fight for her so she could run away!"

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Across town, Koda was perched on the top of an office building, clutching her bag close with what few belongings she couldn't part with tucked inside. Her ears perked as she heard the whistle and tears almost tumbled down her face. "Guys! Don't make this harder than it is…Please…" She heard the whistle again. "No! Jeanette got hurt because of me…No…" She shook her head. She'd never be able to leave if she went to say goodbye, and she'd never be able to leave if she didn't. She pulled the pack up underneath her poncho of a winter coat and snapped the straps around her shoulders (another special-made item just for her wings). With one last glance down at the den (now littered with cops trying to clean up and get more information on the white-coats), she spread her wings and took off.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Jeanette threw the whistle on the ground after the sixth try (Nate had left quite a while ago) and turned to go back to bed, tears lacing her eyes. "Why does she have to be so selfish?"

"She's not, at least not in her mind," Dave tried to comfort the girl, kneeling down on the ground. He couldn't get near Jeanette, however, because the other kids were all still clinging to him as they watched Jeanette's actions thanks to the medication. "You got hurt, so she's probably thinking that the most unselfish thing she can do right now is leave so that this doesn't happen again."

"But she's done so much for us! She helped Alvin get his voice back and she helped us do something good for everyone in town and she helped the Chipmunks get their reputation back and she…she…" Brittany stopped clinging to Alvin and Dave's arms and ran over to wrap her arms around her sister. After a little hesitation, so did Eleanor.

"She wants friends but she's afraid to stay and keep them," Eleanor grumbled. "She wants a family but she's too afraid to stick around the people that care about her…Heh. Kind of reminds me of someone else." She shot a glance at Alvin. "You were afraid you'd hurt your family too much financially and left so you could get your voice back while not costing them a cent. And look at you! You aren't running farther away because Simon got hurt because you weren't at school. You're trying to make things better. Isn't that right?"

"I…I didn't even think about it that way," Alvin stammered out. "After what Cal did, I wanted to get my voice back even more so I could, well, give him a piece of my mind." Eleanor went over and picked up the whistle as Brittany held Jeanette tight in her arms.

"One more time? And even if she doesn't answer, it's not too hard to find a talking bat-girl. She's one of a kind. Canada…We can probably find someone that can find her for us. Sophie and Jeremy would probably leap onto a plane or train if they could to go after her…What do you say?" Jeanette rubbed her eyes. She didn't even have her glasses on, and the whole world was blurry with or without the tears, but rubbing them away made her face feel less irritated.

Brittany held her as they approached the window, Eleanor handed over the whistle. "Please answer," Jeanette whispered, blowing out one more good, solid note on the whistle.

"Jeeze, I hear you already!" they heard a voice call as Koda flew in the window, latching onto the frame with her feet to keep from knocking them over. "You know, I have to get my stuff together. Those streets are no place for a little kid." She smiled, climbing in the window and wrapping her arms around Jeanette. "Besides, I can't leave people that actually care about me. For once, I'm more than just a monster."

"You got that right." The girls all wrapped Koda in a hug, and then pushed her towards the boys (who each gave her a quick hug in turn).

"So you promise not to leave?" Theodore asked innocently.

"I swear on our friendship that I won't leave," she giggled back, dumping her bag on the ground.

"If you're staying, you can keep more of your stuff than just what is in that bag," Simon pointed out. "And I know you've got plenty. That whole set in that back room…"

"Nah. I can rebuild that in someone's basement with real junk that won't fall apart so often."

"By the way," Brittany interrupted, "where will you be staying?"

"I dunno. The streets are obviously out, and I'm not about to stay at some orphanage for the rest of my life. Not that they'd want me anyway. Maybe I'll stay at the hospital…"

"Not a chance," Simon laughed. "You may be able to help, but you'd also get in the way. They don't hire kids, and they don't even let kids under sixteen volunteer in places like this anymore. Believe me, we were all volunteers until that little rule happened."

"Well…Um…"

"Come to say goodbye?" they heard Nate behind them. Everyone cleared the area between her and the doctor.

"Not exactly."

"Then what?" The doctor cocked his head. He looked a bit angry. Koda resituated her glasses (which was something that seemed to happen when any of the ones with glasses did when they were thinking or nervous), pulling on the straps that held them to her head when she was out flying. Once she had her hair comfortably out of the way, she looked back up at him. "Well?"

"I…I, eh, cut my shoulder on a piece of metal. Do you think you can make it feel better? It hurts to fly now."

"So you can't leave?"

"I guess not." She smiled, running at him and leaping into his arms and cuddling her head up under his chin. "Not that I wanted to anyway. Seriously, Nate, you need to stop jumping to conclusions."

"You…You're staying?" She sat up in his arms, looking him in the eyes.

"Did I stutter? I didn't want to leave to begin with. I have people here that look at me as a friend, another kid just like them instead of as a monster. Why should I give that up?"

"Beats me. But you know…If you're staying, you're going to have to find a place to stay instead of out there."

"Working on that."

"Alright. You're going to have to go to school."

"School? You mean, those classrooms where I can actually show off once in a while? Where the teachers are, on average, stupider than me? Nate! I've always wanted to go to school!" Nate laughed, setting her down on the bed adjacent from Jeanette's. As he turned to pick Jeanette up and put her back in bed, he cracked up even worse. "What's wrong?"

"You know what they do in school, all the time?"

"What?"

"Read and write." Koda leaped off the bed and latched onto the back of his shirt, mad now.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that if you want to go in at your age level you're going to have to learn to read more than just your name."

"You…can't read?" Alvin managed to choke out. Koda gave Nate a smack in the head before hopping back over to the bed.

"Thanks a lot, Nate," she hissed.

"What's so embarrassing about it?" Eleanor asked, hopping up beside her. "Given your life, I'm surprised you're such a good scientist and all that. You're crazy smart."

"Yeah," Simon added, jumping onto Jeanette's bed as Nate started reattaching the Chipette's wires. "Most kids would probably just have street smarts and all that. Singing maybe, and they'd know how to keep themselves alive, but not like you. You're already almost a doctor. If you went to college for it now you'd probably graduate before we're even in high school. And just think about your musical talents."

"Piano, flute, violin…" Theodore started naming off as Brittany and Alvin hopped up the other side Koda's bed before Eleanor helped him up beside her.

"You're great!" Brittany complimented. "I think you should join us on stage next time…Oh no! Jeanette! What about the musical?" Brittany leaped over all the kids in her way to get to Jeanette. "You can't play your part…and you don't look worried about it at all…Why are you laughing?" Jeanette was completely cracking up, and this time they were almost positive it wasn't the meds.

"Brittany," Jeanette managed, "who's playing the part Simon had?"

"Alvin?"

"And who is usually paired up with Alvin?"

"I am…"

"Exactly." Brittany stared in wonder. "You can have my part. You know it perfectly! I know you don't want to get stuck in the chorus."

"But that still leaves the play one guy short," Theodore reminded them.

"I've got an idea on that," Alvin piped up. "But we have to go visit him tomorrow, especially since the play is just a couple of days away!" The rest of them nodded, not commenting on what Alvin could have in mind.

"Hold still," Nate was saying to Koda. He'd managed to push everyone else out of the way and was parting her fur so he could see the depth of the injury. "Good news Koda. You don't have to get stitches for that thing. I'll go get some bandages and medicine and be right back. Then I want you to go with the Chipettes tonight. Right after this you all have to leave. Like I said, visiting hours were over two hours ago."


	23. Chapter 23

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Alrighty everyone. The time has finally come...MY SCANNER WORKS! (did you think I was gonna say this is the last chapter? Not a chance, there's still a few more to go, but this is almost the end). Anyway, with that news...I'll be putting the link to my deviantART account on my page for you to go check out my pictures (both for this story and for who knows what else). For anyone that was wondering about Koda...some of her early pictures are up. I haven't drawn her in a while though...But you can get the general idea. Also I went into a little more detail on a few things (like how far Britt was out of character and why Jeanette acted so bravely) underneath some of the pictures, so go ahead and check that out. The picture with Jeanette and Koda is from the epilogue, the other two you should remember (the first one being from chapter 8, the other one being from chapter , two very big moments in this story, don't you agree?). So go and have fun you guys. Oh, and check out my message board everyone!

As for the play, remember that their director wrote it . It's crappy, but hey, it's amature. I'm not very good at writing about people acting as anyone but themselves, but I tried. For those of you that wanted romance, this chapter is the closes you're going to get to it. Remember, these guys are NINE, so there's no real romance happening, just close friendships. But don't you worry...there will be a romantic story for our lovely friends, it'll just be the third installment for this story. Sorry it took me so long to get this up. I was having horrible issues this morning, and then I had to go out and get a birthday card for someone...I'm getting ready for their party right now...It's hard to believe it's going to take me most of the afternoon to get ready, but knowing me...I'll speand the next two hours just trying to get my hair right. Normally I don't do anything with it, but I want to tonight...So the perfectionist in me is gonna make me get it perfectly right.

All the links are gonna be up here in a few minutes...Oh, right, a warning: You know I don't update on Sundays, but you probably don't know that I start school Monday. I have to leave at seven in the morning because I'm driving and I'm carpooling some other friends of mine and school starts at seven twenty. So...I can't update until the afternoons now. I thought I started posting this early enough, I guess I didn't...but you're going to have to wait until after three for the last bit of the story. There's only two or three more chapters (including the epilogue), but I know you're all excited for it. Now I'm done ranting.

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young (they mostly signed it because they want to see family-quality cartoons back on TV, but it's still signatures). Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 23:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 23

"Yeah, I'm the brother of the kid he's been beating up lately," Alvin said, trembling even though the woman in front of him was scrawny. She just had that 'look' in her eye.

"What do you want here? If you're threatening charges…"

"Actually, I want him to come to the director's house with me. We're short an actor. If Koda was a boy the problem would be solved, but she's not. And the play is tomorrow night! He's the only one that knows all the lines for his part. We need him, please?" The mother glared for a moment.

"He's grounded until he gets back from military school. When he's a senior in high school."

"No! Don't do that! That won't do anything but make him angrier. Please!"

"What right does a kid have in saying how I should raise my kid?"

"I know what it's like being young and having no one listen to what you're really saying. And he's saying a lot that no one's hearing because of the way he's saying it. He's trying to get people to notice him; he wants to feel like he has a family. Why do you think he hates me and my brother's so much? Our family is perfect."

Everyone had their noses pressed to the window back in the car. When they'd realized that he was guiding him to Cal's house, they'd all started wondering if he was nuts. What good could come from asking Cal to come back? Or from asking the principal and director to let him?

"What makes you think ours isn't?"

"Anyone with eyes can see something's wrong. But I can help. I can help him. Once he's happier, then he can help you and your husband…"

"I'm divorced."

"Then you and his dad…It's no wonder he's got so many issues. I wonder how you broke it to him that you were splitting up? Hm? Whatever, it doesn't matter. The whole school needs him, whether you do or not. Let him out." The mother looked like she was about to whack Alvin's head off.

"Calvin! Get out here!" The big bully lumbered out beside his mother, his eyes getting wide when he saw Alvin on the front step. "This kid says you're the school's only hope for saving that stupid Christmas show. Get going."

"Y-yes Mom," Cal replied, stepping out onto the porch, the door being slammed behind him. "So you can talk again?"

"Better than ever," Alvin replied. "Now come on. Opening night is tomorrow!"

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"I'm so excited!" Koda whispered to Jeanette. The two girls were between Dave and Simon, with Nate on Simon's other side and Miss Miller on Dave's other side. It was five minutes to show time and Koda hadn't stopped bouncing in her seat. Half of that was because this was her first time out in public in the new clothes that Brittany and Jeanette had picked out for her (mostly Brittany, but Jeanette was there to remind Brittany about Koda's wings and other such that Brittany would have rather forgotten just because she loved the idea of someone willing to be dressed up like a doll). Brittany had also cut Koda's bangs shorter, making it so the bat-girl's hair was an even line as it tapered back.

"Calm down!" Jeanette laughed, tugging down on the side of Koda's new tube top (carefully so as not to pull it down). The tube top was a nice shade of purple that contrasted nicely with her new black Capri's and the 'perfect' pair of sneakers (according to Brittany). "Hurry up and finish your alphabet before the show starts." It had also been decided that Jeanette would teach her to read and write well enough so she could start school after Christmas break with the rest of them and that Eleanor would help get her ready for her first true public appearance with her new friends (which was being planned for Valentine's Day). The only reason Koda had agreed was because it made her that much more untouchable by the people that were still after her (she said she hadn't seen the leader guy, the one that really wanted her and really hated her, among those that had come to LA).

"Yes ma'am!" The two girls burst into another fit of giggles as Koda held her pen, copying the letters Jeanette had written out for her. "Settle down now," Dave warned. "You don't want to get kicked out, do you?"

"Then you probably shouldn't have let us get so much sugar." Nate had gotten them each some brownies and cookies from the bake sale going on in the cafeteria, Miss Miller had given them candy, and even Dave had brought candy canes for all the kids in the play plus Koda and Jeanette and Simon. Koda glanced over at her new best friend, still feeling an ache in her heart every time she looked at Jeanette's stitches. But Jeanette seemed happier that she'd stayed, and she was certainly happy.

She'd already become a part of the family at the Miller house, the girls helping to redecorate the guest bedroom because there was no room for a fourth bed in the Chipettes' room. In the two nights, it had become apparent that Koda had nightmares that made her wake up and crawl outside and hang upside down from a tree branch (that or scream like a banshee, because she was a bat and her screams were very ear-splitting), but they were helping her overcome that and get used to sleeping in a normal bed for once. Koda was going to be spoiled before too long.

"Maybe you shouldn't have eaten all the sugar before the show," Simon told them as he crossed his legs in his seat. He was just small enough to fit comfortably like that. "You should have saved it for later."

On the other side of the curtain, Alvin took his place behind a building and Brittany stood center stage. Cal stood wearing a scientist's jacket, a beaker in his hand raised up as he prepared to pretend to explain to Amy what he was up to and Theodore and Eleanor (who were playing a pretend married couple) stood in front of the prop building marked 'Bakery.' They were all quiet, as the director had said they should be while he was out on stage telling all the people in the audience the rules (no cell phones on, where the exits were, ect.).

Finally, the clapping subsided and the curtains began to part. For a moment they were blinded by the spotlights, but Brittany started walking around, and they all began moving while the chorus sang some common Christmas carol. When they subsided, the bustle about the town really picked up and the play really began.

"You see, the cure to the common cold is as simple as that!" Cal exclaimed, holding his potion up in the light.

"Oh, Doctor, you're positively amazing!" Amy crooned sweetly. "Might I interest you in a sure-way ticket to the publishing house? You could have so much money."

"And so could you. Nay, Marie, I'm going to use this for the good of all human-kind." Simon and Jeanette snickered in the audience when they heard Cal saying that. They were surprised at how great a person he really turned out to be, after Alvin had talked to him. Not only was Alvin's new maturity amazing (although they weren't sure how long it would last), but the fact that Cal was finally done fighting and ready to accept help. Cal and Amy walked off and it was Theodore and Eleanor's turn.

"Oh Ryan, we've done so well this year! We have enough money to expand the shop!" Eleanor cheered out her lines.

"We have more than that. We have enough money for the baby!" Theodore cried out his, getting some chuckles and some gasps from the audience. Some were laughing because he thought of the kid second, the rest were mortified because of that.

"Yes, the baby! That cute little baby…I hope they've been treating him right at that orphanage." Now everyone let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't their kid. Yet. "Come, let's hurry!" Eleanor dragged him away, and other characters did their little things, Brittany still wandering around.

"So that's how it is, every day," she 'whispered' loud enough for the audience. "They walk around, wrapped in their own little cares, not one of them paying any mind to me! What about me? What am I supposed to do?" She looked out at the audience with pleading eyes. "And it's almost Christmas! Couldn't one of them have the heart to stop and ask me what was wrong?"

"What was wrong?" Alvin said, popping up from where he was hiding.

"My…"

"Never mind. I don't care. What I want to know is how much money do ya got?" He circled her like a vulture, playing his part of the sometimes kind-hearted crook perfectly.

"I…I haven't a cent on me. We keep all the money locked up back…back at the mansion…"

"The mansion? Oh my! It seems I've hit the jackpot this time around. Look here girlie, you're going to take me up to that mansion and get out all your loot, got it?"

"No I won't! Help! Oh help!" The cast that was on the stage glanced at her, then went on about their way. Thus began the director's original song.

"Why won't anyone help me?

Oh help poor, poor little me?

Have I ever done you wrong,

Or not given you money when you begged?

Oh, why won't anyone help me from this thief?"

The cast grouped together on the other side of her, Alvin sneaking back into his shadows until the coast cleared again.

"Help you? Poor, poor little you?

You've made us beg on our knees,

Left us out in the cold,

Why shouldn't a thief rob you?"

Jeanette smiled to herself as little Amy stepped forward, singing her two little lines gracefully.

"He'll probably have a real true meal

For the first time in a while."

Cal's turn.

"He may become rich enough

To buy a bit of my new elixir."

Then Theodore and Eleanor's turn to be the good guys.

"Come off it now, you don't mean that.

She may be spoiled, she may be awful,

But she lives the way she was raised,

Rich and sitting on her royal duff!"

The rest of the cast stepped up to the plate.

"Then maybe he'll rob her blind

And she'll find out what life as a peasant is really like!"

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Well, Alvin didn't get the chance to rob Brittany blind. It wasn't in the script. The next part of the script actually had some pain in the butt official coming and arresting most of them for saying she should be. Alvin barely managed to elude capture during that part, but the script said he had to get away. The next scene was him going home, singing a song about a poor, fulfilled Christmas on the streets, and picking up his lock pick to go break his friends out of jail.

That was pretty much the entirety of Act 1 (out of four), aside from a quick bit at the jail with the villagers singing Silent Night (with the chorus in the back) while Alvin broke them out. Act 2 started up at Brittany's mansion, decorating her 'proper' Christmas tree in a perfectly perfect and beautiful dress. She had the guard that had arrested half the town there and had complimented him on caring for her in her time of need, him telling her she needed to get married before New Years, and them stepping back and singing the classic Christmas song 'O Christmas Tree' once the tree was finished (again, with the chorus).

"Oh! Jenkins!" Brittany called, as the scene was coming to its close. "Let's go down and give those pesky villagers something. You know they will never let me alone until I do. Mummy and Daddy would approve, I think."

"They would, my dear," the guard-butler replied, taking her arm as she latched onto her purse and headed out the 'front door' as she complained about what to do for her sick parents. Then scene 2 of act 2 started, back in the village, with Theodore and Eleanor clutching the newly adopted baby and Alvin rushing all the villagers into their homes as Brittany came on the set.

"You don't fool me, beggar. You let them out and I know it."

"What'cha gonna do about it, your highness?" he laughed back. She turned around and pretended to collect herself.

"Good people of the village, please, do come out. I won't have you arrested again, I promise." She put on her biggest smile, going to the middle of the stage, singing the fifth song of the show.

"I admit that I've been awful,

I admit that I've been wrong,

I admit that I've mistreated and neglected you."

She paused, looking around with a look of disgust on her face.

"But tonight I wish to make amends,

Tonight a feast I do declare…"

She paused again, speaking the next line rather than singing it.

"Shall be held up at my cozy establishment."

She started wandering around the circle.

"Almost everyone is invited,

The bookseller and the baker and his wife,

The dear doctor and the orphan keeper and the orphans.

Everyone here around me right now,

I hope you can enjoy a feast fit just for your kind hearts.

Again with the pausing, and again the next lines were spoken.

"But there's just one person I cannot invite,

The thief, the beggar, whatever you wish to call him…"

Amy again got the chance to step up.

"And just why not?

He's as good as any of us."

The whole village and the chorus sang the next part.

"You would take us in your home,

Those of us who are well fed,

But leave the starving out?

Where's the Christmas spirit,

What has happened to your heart?"

Brittany pretended to get angry.

"You will come to my feast or I shall have the taxes raised!"

And she stormed out, leaving the people astonished and surrounding their thieving friend. "Don't even think about not going," Alvin told them as the looked at them. "Just bring me your scraps; I'll be as fine as always." He looked around at them with a smile. "How about a song?" He pointed at the top of the bare evergreen tree that was sitting off to the side of the stage, pretending that it was the village Christmas tree. "Let's see…Ah! Here's an ol' Celtic one I know you all remember."

"Christmas pipes, Christmas pipes,

Calling us, calling on Christmas night.

Call us from far, call us from near,

Oh play me your Christmas pipes."

Eleanor stepped up, handing the baby doll over the Theodore so she could sing with him and comfort him.

"Christmas bells, Christmas bells,

Over the hills and over the dells.

Ringing out bright, ringing out clear,

Oh ring me your Christmas bells."

Amy stepped up, singing with the 'sopranos' (even though, in an elementary choir, there is no soprano group).

"Christmas strings, Christmas strings,

Playing the peace that Christmas brings,

Fiddle and bow, gentle and low,

Oh play me your Christmas strings."

Now it was the entire chorus's turn to sing with the rest of the cast.

"Christmas pipes, Christmas pipes,

Calling us, calling on Christmas night.

Call us from far, call us from near,

Oh play me your Christmas pipes."

The chorus began to sing quietly alone, the middle part of the song that had part of a different carol in it.

"Oh holy night, the stars are brightly shining,

It is the night that…"

Cal and Amy and Theodore and Eleanor had a part to sing over the chorus.

"Christmas choir, Christmas choir,

Christmas carols round Christmas fire.

After that point, the chorus was set to echoing them.

"Holy night (holy night),

Angels on high (angels on high)…"

"Round up your Christmas choir."

The lights dimmed on the chorus, focusing back center on just Alvin as he sang the next lines to them like the gentle thief he was acting as.

"Christmas band, Christmas band,

You're waiting for me with your Christmas band."

The entire village picked up with him as the spotlight widened a bit.

"Cymbal and drum,

Rattle and hum,

Oh march out your Christmas band."

Then the chorus had their own line (and it wasn't a different carol altogether this time).

"Good to be home to you Christmas band."

Then there was an instrumental solo where Alvin took the baby Eleanor and Theodore had adopted so that couples could dance. It was a sweet little melody, nothing to wild, but it made the village look happy. Then, suddenly, the lights engulfed the stage for the final part.

"Christmas pipes, Christmas pipes,

Calling us, calling on Christmas night.

Call us from far, call us from near,

Oh play me your Christmas pipes."

Again, it was a solo for just a couple girls.

"Good to be home,

Good to be home…"

Everyone.

"Good to be home to your Christmas pipes."

Then the chorus echoed the villagers.

"Christmas (Christmas),

Christmas (Christmas),

Christmas (Christmas)."

And then, the almost finale to Act 2, they sang the last line together.

"Good to be home to your Christmas pipes."

As the final part of the finale, the light crew put on a red light and pointed it towards the painting of the mansion (a red light in the field of white and blue), and the villagers got into an uproar as Brittany ran back out on stage.

"Help! My parents…they're sick! They can't get out! Please! Help me!" And the villagers raced off to save the cruel mayor and his wife from the fire.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Oh, I'm getting Goosebumps. You didn't tell me it was this good." Koda was clinging to Jeanette's arm during the last minute or so of intermission. "An actual good show to put on for Christmas instead of something overdone and repetitive. Not that the others aren't nice, it's just…"

"Old?" Jeanette laughed as she linked her other arm with Simon's, surprising him.

"Yes?" he replied. "What's up?"

"Just wondering why you've been so quiet." Jeanette was being unusually vocal tonight, but Simon decided it was just the influence that Koda was having on her. "You haven't said anything all intermission."

"Anticipation. Shh. It's starting."

"Mama," a little boy whined from behind Koda. "I can't see through her hat…" Koda's ears dropped in an instant to the sides of her head, making the kid yelp in surprise.

"Maybe you need some sort of hat?" Jeanette whispered to her. "That way it'll hold your ears down for you…"

"Got it covered," Koda giggled, crawling over her friends and tapping on Nate's shoulder (her knees on Simon's right arm rest and her feet resting on his left arm rest). "You got that bandana?"

"Sure do," he snickered, pulling out a dark purple bandana and wrapping it around her down-turned ears. "If your ears start getting sore, just take it off and stretch them out, ok?"

"Do you know how weird that would sound to anyone but me?"

"You're the one with extra joints in your ears and arms."

"Don't forget my special joints!" Koda giggled to herself, mocking him as she crawled back over to her seat.

"It's a good thing my sister picked out mostly pants and Capri's for you, isn't it?" Jeanette hissed at her friend. "You in that skirt here tonight would have been disastrous! Have you ever acted like a girl?"

"Not like a proper 'civilized' girl. But, come to think of it, I've always just done what was best to get by and survive until the next day." There were shushes all around them as the curtain raised, showing a bedroom scene (and the bedroom looked like some low-end hotel sort of bedroom at that) with Brittany sitting between two beds, her 'parents' tucked in so that no one off-stage could even see their faces. She had bandages wrapped on her arms, and she was doing a good job of crying (and making the more soft-hearted audience members' eyes tear up).

"Mama, do you remember how you used to sing me that song to get me to go to sleep as Christmas got closer? I know you're already asleep, but please, please. That song never put me to sleep. If anything, it woke me up." She reached over to pretend to fix her mother's hair, the audience letting out little sobs of their own as she started choking out the song, a much gentler version than most carolers chose to sing (she sung it as a lullaby).

"The first Noel, the angels did say,

Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay.

In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,

On a cold winter's night that was so deep."

She laid her head down on her mother's bed, sobbing and unable to continue. So the chorus sang for her, this moment being a sort of awakening for her as she was starting warm up to the true meaning of Christmas (and that meaning wasn't about perfection or any of that nonsense).

"Noel, Noel,

Noel, Noel.

Born in the king of Israel."

Alvin, who had come to the doorway, interrupted her sobbing to comfort her and sing the next part of the song.

"They looked up and saw a star,

Shining in the east, beyond them far.

And to the earth, it gave great light.

And so it continued both day and night."

This time Brittany added her voice to the chorus as Alvin held her hand and kept her company while she got the shock out of her system.

"Noel, Noel,

Noel, Noel.

Born is the king of Israel.

Noel, Noel,

Noel, Noel,

Born is the king of Israel."

He led her away so the doctor could tend to the parents as the lights dimmed on that scene, shining brightly on just the chorus.

"Noel, Noel,

Noel, Noel.

Born is the king of Israel.

Born is the king of Israel."

When the lights returned, it was Brittany trying to boss around the people Alvin had managed to convince to take her in for the night (those people being none other than the kind souls, Theodore and Eleanor, and the little newly-adopted baby). Right at this moment, Eleanor put the star on top of the little part of a tree Theodore had supposedly chopped off the top of some bigger tree in the forest. She started to sing 'Carol of the Bells' with the chorus, but Brittany's character had her sing about how awful it was to be stuck in a shack like that.

As she did that, the family came near to kicking her out. It was her redeeming herself as she complimented the food at the end of the song and how cute the quaintness of it all was. She didn't even complain when they put her to bed in the attic of their shop (they lived in the back of it). Then it was the next scene, Brittany trying to come to understand the life of a peasant by working in Theodore's bakery when Alvin came in.

"This is just awful! I'm not cut out for this sort of thing," Brittany complained.

"You're right," Alvin said in reply. "You're not. But you're here and you have to earn your keep. Besides, so many people are paying just to see you working. This family may be able to keep that baby now. Do you know how many times they've adopted the kid only to have to take him back? Poor baby. He's over a year old, as you can probably tell by his size…"

"Whatever…ah!" She dropped the biscuits on her tray just like the script told her too. "I can't do this!" She threw the tray at the ground. Alvin sighed and started picking the biscuits back up, putting them on the tray.

"Don't give up, stupid."

"Stupid? How am I the stupid one?" She glared at him as he handed her tray back to her. "Well?"

"Well what? I thought your stupidity was obvious…well, to everyone but you, I guess."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just look what you're wearing. A prissy little dress. How do you expect to be able to work in that thing? You need something you can put an apron around. Second, you really need to take some tips from Eleanor on how to balance things. You're so clumsy."

"I'm the belle of the ballroom!"

"Dancing and serving are two different sorts of balance. Around here, unless you plan on waltzing with all the customers, you should probably learn how to balance trays so you can serve the bread." He took the tray from her once again. "Go ask Eleanor to borrow something to wear for starters. New shoes too. Go on!"

"You're awful."

"I'm helping you. Which is more than I should be doing."

"You should be doing so much more, considering you tried to rob me!"

"Robbing the likes of you wouldn't do too much to my conscience."

"Oh yeah? Well, getting you kicked out of town wouldn't hurt my conscience too much either."

"Yeah it would. I've helped you this whole time even though you've been so awful to me and my kind of people."

"Smelly people?"

"No. Poor people." They stared at each other for a moment, as if some cue had been missed, but the rest of the cast covered any mistake perfectly by busting through the doors and demanding bread for their families (in a song, of course) and making Brittany's life just awful for the rest of the hectic day.

"Dear," Eleanor said, resting her hand on Brittany's shoulder as they stood by the tree in town square. "Christmas may not be what you're used to this year, but you're welcome to share it with us."

"I know. But I just don't feel like I deserve it…What that thief said this morning…He's right. He helped me even though I've been so cruel to the village. No, I don't deserve to share Christmas with you."

"Christmas is a time for changes, a time for re-realizing the magic that we've been blessed with. You are finally being given everything you've missed out on. It's my pleasure to have you as a guest for Christmas."

"In that case, I have a favor to ask." Brittany pulled out a little pouch and pretended to whisper as the third act ended and the fourth act began.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

The fourth act was sweet, but nothing really big happened in the first part of it. Brittany and Eleanor teamed up with Theodore, Amy, and Cal to put together the feast. They knocked on every door (while Cal had apparently told Alvin to watch over Brittany's parents all day, since he had no one to celebrate Christmas with). With a couple of songs, a little more of Brittany messing up, almost the entire plan went along smoothly. Then Alvin came out and Brittany had to distract him, so to end the first half of act four they had a nice romantic dance that ended with them nose-to-nose staring at each other in wonder.

Then the feast started, and Brittany announced that Alvin was the guest of honor and it got some of the parents to start oo-ing and ah-ing at sweetness, annoyed any teens in the audience, and made Jeanette proud of her sister. The show had Brittany and Alvin develop a bit of a relationship between their characters through the short meal (Cal interrupted, jumping up and down as he announced that Brittany's parents were waking up and their fevers were starting to drop). Of course, when the whole town crowded into that little room, there had to be a closing Christmas song to sum up the whole theme of everything, and the song was led by Brittany.

"Where are you Christmas?

Why can't I find you?

Why have you gone away?

Where is the laughter

You used to bring me?

Why can't I hear music play?"

Alvin wrapped his arm around her, surprising everyone with the song that almost no one had ever heard a boy sing (at least, they never heard a guy singing it on the radio).

"Our world is changing,

You're rearranging,

Does that mean Christmas changes too?"

The village's turn to pick up with them.

"Where are you Christmas?

Do you remember

The one you used to know?

We're not the same ones,

See what the time's done?"

Brittany's solo line:

"Is that why you have let me go?"

Theodore, Eleanor, Amy, and Cal (who had an amazingly good voice) got to sing the next part, every one of them taking their bows.

"Christmas is here, everywhere.

Christmas is here, if you care!"

Then it was the rest of the village's turn to step forward, all lined up and taking their bow with the next part of the song.

"If there is love in your heart and your mind,

You will feel like Christmas all the time."

The chorus finally got to join in as Alvin and Brittany linked hands, bowing center-stage and getting the audience to whistle and cheer and do all those things audiences do at the end of an elementary school's Christmas musical.

"I feel you Christmas,

I know I've found you.

You never fade away.

The joy of Christmas

Stays here inside us,

Fills each and every heart…"

Everyone broke off, leaving Brittany and Alvin to finish.

"…with love."

"Where are you Christmas (fill you heart with love)?"

"Mm-hm."

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

For anyone that wants to try to draw something from THIS chapter, I have something I'd like to see if you want to give it a try. Remember where I said Alvin and Brittany (in character) were dancing a romantic dance? Well, Alvin's dressed like a theif and Brittany is dressed like a peasent (but has her hair up like she's something special and she has make-up, ect to prove she's above being a peasent). If anyone wants to try drawing them nose-to-nose staring in wonder...Be my guest! I'd love to see that. Um...One more note, you can have them in a typical ballroom dance pose (Britt's hand on Alvin's shoulder, Alvin's hand on her waist, the other hands...I think they hold the other hands, right?) or you can do whatever...But I'd love to see that too. I don't know if this is a nicer request than the other one...But if anyone's interested, take a stab at it.


	24. Chapter 24

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

Now don't cry, but this is the very last chapter. But there is an epilogue! So technically there's two more chapters...but this is the last official chapter, k? If you haven't yet, I really suggest checking out the links on my page. For the song in this chapter, I just replaced the song that I had had before with this one because this one is soo much better for the story. Sorry I updated so late. Like I said, first day of school. Up till now I've been catching up on all the paperwork and book covering and all that other junk they threw at me. I may not post the epilogue tomorrow, just because of school...

But! I will have it up before the end of the week. I love you guys, thanks for sticking with this story for so long. Can you believe you've read over 180 pages of story? And you're not quite done yet. Amazing, isn't it? This whole story is, currently, exactly 200 pages on Microsoft Word. Well, enjoy the chappie!

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young (they mostly signed it because they want to see family-quality cartoons back on TV, but it's still signatures). Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, Chapter 24:_

The Lessons they Teach

Chapter 24

They ended up inviting Cal and Amy over for a day-before-Christmas-friends-as-well-as-family dinner (cooked by Eleanor, Theodore, and Koda). The adults ate in the kitchen while the kids all ate at the big table in the dining room (which Koda was wondering why they had two tables until Simon explained that the second table was where they did their homework and such and they only ate off it during the holidays). Cal and Amy had gone home almost right after the food, but Koda and the Chipettes stuck around for some holiday tradition (like watching some holiday movie with the families and that sort).

Koda had surprisingly never understood the whole Santa Clause thing. They found out that she'd never been in a mall before the Chipettes had taken her a couple days earlier. She hadn't thought much about the 'creepy fat guy in the red suit' because the girls hadn't made a big deal about it. But now that she saw a little Santa figurine on the Chipmunk's mantle, she had to ask.

"You've seriously never told her about Santa?" Alvin accused Nate. The doctor shifted uncomfortably in his seat, Dave's parents laughed (they'd gotten there from the airport that morning) and Miss Miller just stared, wondering what she'd taken on. The task of raising a wild girl wasn't going to be easy. "Those are some stories every kid hears when they're little."

"We were more focused on keeping her alive back then," Nate tried, getting saddened looks from the kids. They were all mature enough to handle knowing all about Koda's time as a lab rat and all that, but it still made them sad to think about it. He was just glad it didn't make them really angry, especially because the scientists had been so cruel and wouldn't have hesitated taking all six chipmunks into their hidden lab forever if the kids weren't so famous already.

"That's ok," Koda said cheerfully, pulling Alvin away from the doctor. "You guys have told me all those stories, so I'm all caught up. What else do I need to know?"

"The Easter Bunny?" Theodore asked.

"That one I knew about. And leprechauns and the little cupid people for Valentine's Day. Oh, and turkey day is Thanksgiving…But why do they call it Turkey day if they aren't celebrating the country?"

"Are you kidding us?" Simon asked wide-eyed. Koda cracked up.

"Of course I am! I've put together two Thanksgiving's for the people downtown. Alvin, you remember ours?" Alvin nodded.

"It was nice," he commented. "Plenty of food and everyone was happier than most kids are on Christmas day…" Everyone looked at Alvin, proud of him. He'd matured so much in the last couple months. Of course, he still didn't have any problems playing pranks on his brothers, but Dave hadn't had to yell 'AL-VIN' yet. He was actually missing that. "Do you know what werewolves, mummies, and zombies are?"

"Um…aren't mummies the dead bodies Egyptologists dig up sometimes? The Pharaohs and the Queens and other such of ancient Egypt?"

"Well, that's before the curses…"

"Alvin!" Simon yelped. "Don't start with the monsters from your monster book! Do you want to give her nightmares?"

"Curses? Like spells?" Koda asked, crawling over to by Alvin. "Tell me more!"

"Basically," Brittany pushed herself in-between the two, "werewolves are people who turn into these big monstrous people-like wolves, zombies are the walking dead, mummies too, but they're a different kind of walking dead. Then there's Frankie, or Frankenstein the monster who is most definitely real and apparently a friend of theirs. He works at an amusement park and he only looks like a monster so don't worry. Anything I missed?"

"A couple," Alvin hissed. Koda looked as interested as ever though. "But that's a good start."

"You've seen all these things?" Koda asked excitedly.

"Well, no. Just Frankie and werewolves…Our next-door neighbor was a werewolf once, but Theodore cured him."

"Are these creatures supposed to be scary or something?"

"Yes, they're supposed to give you nightmares…"

"I really don't see why. They're just animals and dead bodies. Nothing spooky about that…"

"Have you ever even had a nightmare?" Theodore asked curiously.

"Of course I have! But monsters aren't the only things that can haunt you, especially when the only life you have is locked away in a cold cell waiting until the mad-men in the white coats show up again the next morning. Now that is a nightmare to keep you awake at night. I've been sleeping peacefully ever since I got away from there…Well, except for when they try to make me sleep in a bed. My wings just get in the way."

"Can we give them to them now?" she heard Simon whispering to Dave.

"Sure," Dave whispered back, and Simon latched onto his brothers' arms.

"What's going on?" Eleanor whispered.

"Presents," Koda whispered back.

"How can you tell?"

"My ears pick up all sorts of little things, remember?" Sure enough, the boys came back balancing four nice-sized boxes between the three of them. "Miss Miller, when we're done, can we get ours for them out of the car?" Miss Miller snickered a little.

"I'll get them myself," she said, getting up and heading out the front door.

"Well, we scrapped together what we could over the last couple of days," Simon started.

"And got all four of you something for Christmas!" Theodore finished.

"All four?" Koda whispered. She could see the fourth present, but she couldn't believe they'd gotten her something. Nate and his cousin were the only ones that had ever given her anything. The three obvious ones were wrapped in the colors that the boys usually wore (Brittany's was wrapped in red with a yellow bow, Jeanette's in blue with a white bow, and Eleanor's was in green with a white bow). Hers was in black shiny wrapping paper and tied up in a green and purple bow (no doubt made by Theodore instead of just store bought).

"Well, go ahead!" Alvin grumbled. He jumped up on the couch, watching as Brittany tentatively poked hers. Eleanor quickly pulled her wrapping paper off without any fears of ripping it. Inside the box were two cook books, a matching bracelet and necklace to go along with her nice show dress, and a new softball and softball mitt. It was amazing that he'd managed to put it all in one box.

"Oh Theo!" she cried, leaping up to hug him. "It's just what I wanted. How'd you know?"

"I know you?" he offered. She giggled, hugging him tighter until he had to cough to get her to let him breathe.

"You're turn!" Simon said, pushing Jeanette's toward her. She smiled almost nervously as she pulled the wrapper of without ripping it even once. Inside, she discovered a couple of books as well, only these were some college level books that Simon had noticed she hadn't read yet. There was also her own gorgeous bracelet and necklace set (tied in a new ribbon for her hair) and at the very bottom were two books that made her leap with excitement. Sheet music for the Broadway musicals (words and all, arranged for the piano) from some of the more popular musicals in the heyday of musicals (when TV stations could make more off a musical movie than some TV show) and a book with all the pieces for Wicked (in piano, of course).

She leaped up to give him a hug, only managing to trip over her own two feet again and land in his arms as he caught her. "As soon as we're done here…"

"Who do you wanna be?" Koda asked, flipping through the Wicked book. "Elphaba or Galinda?"

"You're obviously more of a Galinda than I am." They grinned at each other. "We'll sing the duets together." They giggled a bit. Alvin jumped off the couch, going over and lifting his gift to Brittany above his head.

"If you're just going to poke it…" he started, just as Miss Miller bust back into the house, the three packages she was carrying nearly tumbling out of her arms. Dave jumped up to catch them. These were wrapped in the usual red, blue, and green also. But the bows…Alvin wanted to die on the spot. Brittany had put a pink bow on his. Simon had gotten a purple bow, but that wasn't as bad as pink. At least Theodore had gotten a white one. "You just had to use a pink bow, didn't you?"

"It's all we had!" Brittany protested, attempting to jump up and knock it out of his hands. But he was too quick. He dodged her like he was protecting a football. He'd probably be a football star when he got to high school, just because he could easily avoid other people because he was just small enough to run under them while they were trying to tackle them. It was the only time his shortness would ever not be a bad thing. But Dave always insisted that they still had years to keep growing, and if how much they'd grown since they were babies was anything to go by, then Simon would at least be up to Dave shoulder height when he stopped growing.

Eventually he gave in and let her tackle him (mainly because Dave's glare told him that he was about to hear that familiar "AL-VIN" because he'd just about knocked over the tree). "Promise not to poke it?" he teased.

"Only if you open yours right now, too." She ran over and dragged the box to him, embarrassing him beyond reason in front of his brothers. Simon had the hardest time trying not to fall over with laughter and Theodore didn't even bother trying to cover his amusement. He just rolled around on the floor until the fit was over. The two then proceeded to stare at each other almost nervously. With a shake of their heads, Simon and Theodore ripped the paper off theirs without even bothering to keep the paper neat and tidy. Simon grinned at the books Jeanette had gotten him and Theodore giggled at the new blender Eleanor had given him (she'd been there when his old one blew a circuit, and he'd kept it hidden from Dave up until a couple weeks ago and Eleanor whispered to him that she'd told Dave what she was getting him a couple months in advance). Brittany and Alvin were still staring at the boxes.

"Why don't you open yours, Koda?" Dave said quietly, giving her a nudge to get her away from the spot she'd been glued to beside the couch ever since she'd seen the box. Jeanette and Eleanor picked up on Dave's hint and locked their hands in hers, dragging her to the box.

"Go ahead," Jeanette urged, letting go of Koda's hand to glance back at her sister. Brittany was tugging at the bow now. "If you're waiting on them you'll have a long wait. They probably will shout out something like 'let's go Christmas caroling' here in a few minutes and then Brittany will just throw her usual tantrum and Alvin will glare and be grouchy until they get their way."

"So childish," Koda giggled, carefully pulling the paper off her gift. She pried it open, letting just a little bit of light sneak in to peek at what was inside. She glanced back over at Alvin and Brittany, both of whom had finally pulled the wrapping paper off their boxes. They each had personalized cards laying on the top (the cards had been taped down before the gifts were wrapped). She smiled a bit as they tore right into those, eager to bore the adults watching.

Alvin's face turned to a bit of shock and Brittany was giggling at hers. Simon snuck around Alvin's shoulder to read what Brittany had said.

Alvin, I really am sorry…Especially for the rotten way I acted while hanging out with Cal. I guess after you got your stitches out I was just so convinced that you were just keeping quiet to get attention that I stopped caring all that much…well, no, that's not it. Just ask Simon. I nearly had a cow when he said that the doctor had said you weren't getting your voice back anytime soon. Although, if that was just a prank I swear all of you are gonna get it. But that was before I started talking to Cal. I figured if I got close enough to your worst enemy then maybe you'd get jealous enough to start talking again…Honest.

Well, Merry Christmas anyway. Brittany.

Simon jumped behind the tree when Alvin looked over his shoulder, hoping that Alvin didn't catch him. Meanwhile, Eleanor was doing the same thing to see what her sister's card said.

Brittany, you are so annoying, you know that? And so unpredictable! If I weren't so caught up on image myself, I'd never have been able to put up with it! Honestly Brittany, if you ever meet someone who can handle your nit-picking, you better marry him because he's the only one that'd be able to handle you. 

Oh…and thanks for worrying about me. 

Merry Christmas,

Alvin.

"Is that an offer?" Brittany joked, not noticing Eleanor (but Eleanor ducked for cover all the same).

"Is what an offer?" Alvin asked, looking up at her. She smiled, waving the card in front of his face.

"You know what you wrote, don't you?"

"No! I mean…no?" She scrunched up her nose and glared at him. "Brittany, were nine years old. Chill." Behind the tree, Simon and Eleanor agreed that'd it'd be best to keep the true content of the cards secret as the two kids dug into their presents. Alvin found the usual sports stuff, a few CDs, and a book of blank sheet music if he ever wanted to try writing a song. Nothing unusual. Brittany found her gifts quite normal too. Make-up, a cute new pair of shoes (which was really making her wonder as to how a family of all boys had managed to pick them out), some hair ties and clips and such, a couple CDs of her own, that sort. The real surprise was what they had written, and it was forever a secret (especially when the two ran as the adults tried to read the cards).

"You're turn!" Eleanor demanded, returning to her place beside Koda. The bat girl glanced up at Nate first, not budging until he nodded. Then she opened her box up and stared wide-eyed at what was inside. A new, white hat, a book (she still couldn't even read the title), and a case at the bottom. That would explain why it was so long…She pushed the other gifts aside, pulling the case up. She ran her hands over the case before opening the silver latches, gasping at the instrument inside.

"This violin…it's…"

"Italian?" Simon finished for her. "It's amazing what kind of deals you can get when you live in LA."

"What do you mean? This violin is worth thousands…"

"Yet we managed to find it in the hands of a nutcase that sold it for a hundred. But the only problem is, none of us can play the violin." Koda giggled a little, leaping up to latch her arms onto Simon. After letting him squirm for a moment, she moved on to latch onto Theodore, who gave her a hug back (being the cuddly teddy bear that he is). After that, she went over and poked Alvin in the nose.

"I'm going to guess you had no clue that this violin was so special, eh?"

"I know guitars," he replied.

"Pity. This violin would probably be appraised at six thousand dollars. If you can get it from junkie thrift dealers for under a hundred, you could be rich fast." She smiled, giving him a quick hug before turning around and snatching up her new hat. She put it on with one hand, trying to cover her ears. That didn't work, so she flattened them down as much as she could, squeezed the hat on, and let them pop up. They stuck out from the sides of her head a bit, but they looked almost puppy-like when they did so.

"Perfect," she heard Brittany whisper. "It'll go along just fine with the…"

"Shh!" Jeanette hissed. "Don't give the surprise away." Jeanette hurried to her friend's side. "Play a song!"

"Only if you sing," Koda said back instantly. "Hm…" She smiled, playing out the melody for 'It's Beginning to look a Lot like Christmas.' It sounded weird on a violin, but as soon as she stopped, all the chipmunks gathered around to sing so she'd keep playing. It was such a beautiful sound (not just the violin…Dave smiled as he watched the boys, remembering the Christmas when they were five and had sung that song five days before Christmas to wake him up at five in the morning). With the girls, the song was just magical.

"Let's go caroling!" Theodore cheered.

'I have to head home and finish up something before tomorrow, but you girls go ahead and have fun," Miss Miller said.

"We're much too old to be wandering the streets on a chilly night, but you kids have fun," Dave's parents said.

"And leave me with all seven of them after you let them have all those sweets?" Dave complained with a smile.

"I haven't been out caroling in a long time," Nate said as he stood up and stretched. "I think it'd be fun. Besides, Koda doesn't get hyped up on sweets like normal kids. She needs a ton of sugar because she's a fruit bat…" He patted her on the head before going to see how cold it was.

"It might snow tomorrow," Koda decided to mention. "Just a light frosting, but it'll be below 32 degrees after tonight."

"She's discovered the weather channel. How dull." The kids all laughed as Dave pulled their jackets out of the closet.

"See you in an hour or two," he said to his parents. The boys gave their grandparents a hug before bolting out after him.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Within the hour they'd managed to sing all the Christmas carols in their arsenal (the chipmunks and bat-girl harmonizing so gorgeously that Dave and Nate were afraid to join in). The boys had even sung their own versions of the carols that they hadn't sung since they were six or so. Now they'd made their way around to a town-square looking place with a fountain and everything and had all perched themselves on the edge of that fountain to sing what Simon had declared 'the climax of their free traveling concert.'

"It's Christmastime,  
There's no need to be afraid.  
At Christmastime, we let in light and we banish shade.  
And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy,  
Throw your arms around the world at Christmastime,

But say a prayer,

Pray for the other ones.  
At Christmastime it's hard, but when you're having fun.  
There's a world outside your window,  
And it's a world of dread and fear,  
Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears.  
And the Christmas bells that ring,

There are the clanging chimes of doom.  
Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you."

The boys grinned an almost fox-like grin as they jumped down in front; letting the girls scoot together in a picture-perfect choir-style lineup (the crowds were gathering so the kids were showing off).

"And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime,  
The greatest gift they'll get this year is life.  
(Oooh) Where nothing ever grows,  
No rain nor rivers flow,  
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?

(Here's to you) raise a glass for everyone,  
(Here's to them) underneath that burning sun.  
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?"

The girls scooted apart again so the boys could hop back up for their finale. They wrapped their arms around each other's shoulders, Alvin shivering as he felt the edge of Koda's wing brush his back (she was on the end, with Jeanette then Simon in between them, Brittany then Eleanor then Theodore on his other side, however that had happened).

"Feed the world,  
Feed the world,

Feed the world,

Let them know it's Christmastime again.

Feed the world,  
Let them know it's Christmastime again.

They all squeezed each other's shoulders (even Simon squeezed his older brother's shoulders as they glanced at each other, both proud to be related to each other) as they sang the final line and the crowds bursted out in cheers.

"Let them know it's Christmastime again."

"Careful," Eleanor warned when the entire line nearly fell backwards into the fountain as Theodore went to let go of her. Carefully they unlinked themselves, stepping to the side so as not to push the person beside them into the water. Well, except for Brittany. Instead of carefully swinging her arm back and stepping to the side, she pulled it straight up over Alvin's head and moved to leap off the fountain. That put Alvin (who was still linked with Simon since Jeanette had just let go and moved away) off balance and he latched onto her arm…and all three fell backwards into the water, splashing everyone that was standing on the edge.

The audience gasped at first, hoping the kids were ok, but quickly relaxed when they saw the three of them clawing their way out of the freezing water (the water temperature was definitely in the low thirties, seeing as the temperature outside was in the high thirties). Simon's glasses had fallen off so he was standing up and looking for them, hoping they were floating even though he couldn't see at all.

"Alvin!" Simon complained as his older brother couldn't help but laugh as he stood in the water. Brittany was already out and sitting on the ground, her arms wrapped about herself as she tried to get warm again. "Help me!"

"Alright, alright," Alvin sighed as he managed to stop the laughter. Within a few minutes, everyone with arms long enough to reach in was trying to help, and eventually someone found them on the other side of the fountain. "How'd they get over there?"

"The water pressure," Koda said matter-of-factly. The spray from the water that was pouring in the center was making everyone's cloths damp by now. Dave grabbed the glasses from the person who'd found them with a thank you and hurried back to pull the shivering boys out of the water.

"I just hope we don't get sick from this," Simon hissed at his brother as Dave put the glasses back on his face (after wiping them off, of course).

"It wasn't my fault Brittany pushed me!" Alvin replied, glaring at Brittany (who had managed to convince Koda to give her the poncho-coat that Koda had been wearing).

"The only way the water will get you sick," Nate said in his 'doctor-giving-a-prognosis' tone of voice, "is if you already have a bug or if you're in it long enough for it to make your body temperature drop far enough for hypothermia."

"Thank you Doctor Positive," Dave warned, wrapping his own coat around the brothers. "I think it's about time we headed home…I really wish we'd brought the car."

"But that's not true caroling then," Theodore said. Koda and Jeanette were smart enough to watch Nate's expressions as they started heading home. The doctor was studying the soaked chipmunks, looking for signs that they were in danger of something or other. The two brothers sharing Dave's coat grumbled as they kept tripping because they kept going different paces or catching their feet on the material.

"Wait a second," Simon finally said when they were a block away from the Chipette's home. "We can do this without tripping; it's like counting out the beats in a song…" They nodded in unison, counting quietly 'and one and two and three and four' and it was all Koda could do to keep from cracking up when she heard it. It sounded like they were practicing dancing.

"It's a good thing he just has a brace now," Nate whispered to Dave, talking about Simon's wrist. They'd switched from a hard, normal cast to a soft brace, but Simon still had to wear it until February 5th. They'd just switched to make it easier on everyone. "You do have that other one, right?"

"Yeah," Dave replied, stealing a glance at the two.

"Make sure you switch the braces then. I can't imagine how much that's going to itch and hurt if you don't…"

"Here we are!" Eleanor announced, latching onto her sister's arm (Brittany's head was down as she had wrapped herself so tightly in Koda's coat). "Come on Brittany, before you get pneumonia or something." Without even a backwards glance the girls darted into the house…Only to have Brittany dart back a few moments later.

"How are we going to get our presents over here?" she demanded.

"I'll bring them by," Nate volunteered. "My car's still parked at their house; I'll just stop by here on my way home."

"It's out of your way," they heard Koda from inside.

"No it's not." She poked her head out, smiling.

"Of course not." Her eyes said 'yeah right,' but she knew better. She dragged Brittany back into the house, shutting the door. The walk home was quiet enough. About halfway there Alvin and Simon were getting sleepy because of the cold so Dave scooped them up and carried them the rest of the way, but that was about it. Theodore helped carry the presents to Nate's car while Dave got his brothers their dry pajamas (Dave's parents had already gone to sleep).

"I'm gonna be sick on Christmas day!" Alvin was complaining when Dave got back to the bathroom. They had their shirts off and were rubbing their fur dry (well, Simon was doing the best he could).

"And why's that?" Dave asked as he pointed for Simon to sit down so he could change the brace to a dry one.

"He just…sn…Ah-Choo!" Simon tried.

"Ah. Sneezing. Well, at least you have your voice back." Alvin quickly changed into his dry clothes, dumping the soaked ones on the floor. He picked up his hat (no matter how soaked it was) and was going to leave when he glanced back over to his brother. Simon winced a little as Dave tried his best to change the braces. With a slight sigh, Alvin went over and put his hand on Simon's shoulder. They looked at each other for a moment, Alvin smiling one of those don't-worry-I'm-the-protective-older-brother-that-won't-let-anything-happen-to-you smiles and Simon with his face scrunched up as Dave put the dry brace on. Dave noticed that as soon as he looked up. It made him so proud to see them. But he shook that off quickly, snatching Alvin's hat.

"Hey!"

"I'll put all this in the dryer. Get to bed and get warmed up before you get any worse." With a grumble, Alvin turned and left. They crawled into bed without any arguments though, happy for the warmth.

"Have fun?" Alvin asked, staring at Simon's back. Theodore was still downstairs. The lucky kid was going to get to stay up until ten and do almost whatever he felt like. Just because they were sneezing they were put to bed early.

"Yeah, actually," Simon replied quietly. "We should make Koda play the violin at the concert in February."

"We have to find a song we can sing to that she knows…Simon?"

"What?"

"Is the concert going to be where the new homeless shelter is being built?"

"I think so."

"Will it be finished?"

"Two months in the dead of winter isn't enough time to finish a project like that…"

"Even if we help?" Simon rolled over to look at his older brother. Alvin didn't usually have that pleading look in his eyes, at least not around him. He almost looked like Theodore, only not as pudgy.

"Even if we help, it won't get done in time. Besides, there's little chance we'll be able to help out until they get the bulk of the structure built anyway…"

"That'd be great publicity."

"Alvin!"

"I'm joking. Well, not completely. It would look great on the news, but I wanna help because I know those people…We'll ask Dave tomorrow. Before breakfast. That way we can get started before break is over."

"We start school again on the third."

"Then we'll just have to convince the construction company to start building on the second. No one who goes down there can resist the eyes some of those kids have. Honestly, they almost made me want to cry. Me!" Dave came up with some hot coco and Theodore and Simon crawled onto Alvin's bed (taking his blanket with him so he could stay wrapped up in it without sharing Alvin's) and they all sat together and talked and laughed and really enjoyed themselves. After Dave and Theodore left, however (Theodore went to help clean up everything from the party), Alvin brought the conversation back. "Simon, do you think we can do it?"

"Do what?"

"The construction company…?"

"We'll see." They sneezed at the same time, looked at each other, and laughed. Christmas. The best time of the year.


	25. The Epilogue

**Alrighty, as I said in the first chapter, go check out my petition, sign it and spread the word. Look up 'Remember the Chipmunks' on youtube to find my video for the petition and share that with as many people as you can. **

As promised, my epilogue. The finale of my lovely story. Thank you for all the love you guys...over 130 reviews! That makes me so very happy. Please still review the epilogue, chat it up and tell me every single thing you want to tell me...But PLEASE! If you had any questions or thoughts that you've been dying to say, don't hold back. TELL ME! And if you have any ideas that came to mind when you were reading this, please tell me those too. I've got a lot thought out for the sequal, but not everything. Don't be afraid to be heard. I probably won't reply to what you say, but you can be absolutly positive that I'll read it. I read all my reviews and everything all my reviews say, k?

One more thing: I strongly encourage you to check out the song links! Some of the links lead to Chipmunk fan-vids that I made (and still others lead to even more fan-vids by other fans).

Thanks again, I hope you've really enjoyed!

_Thanks for your time guys. Remember, spread the word! Things won't change if no one knows about my petition. Tell people you wouldn't expect to sign too. I did. I took my petition to my church and got live signatures from EVERYONE, old, middle-age, and young (they mostly signed it because they want to see family-quality cartoons back on TV, but it's still signatures). Believe me, good changes happen, but only if we fight for the change we want. Now, without further ranting, the Epilogue:_

The Lessons they Teach

Epilogue

Within the first two weeks of January, Alvin had managed to turn the little concert that was just for the Chipmunks, Chipettes, and Batty Koda into a big all-out Benefit Concert for the Homeless of America. Dave couldn't have been more proud. Well, he could have, but not when it came to the concert. Alvin wasn't doing it for publicity. He was doing it for the people. He'd also managed (along with the help of his brothers and the girls and Dave and Miss Miller and Nate and Tammy) to get enough construction people on the job to not only turn the work site into a concert area (by tearing down and remaking the old abandoned buildings all around where the new homeless shelter was going to be), he'd managed to get them to start with the outer frame of the building. The outer frame was finished and they were starting to put the stone siding on.

The cranes in the background (along with all the other building equipment left around) were going to be turned into part of the acts (safely, of course) and pyro-technicians had volunteered to rig up a fireworks set (mostly white, pink, and red since it was going to be on Valentines Day). Everyone participating had met a week in advance to run through the basics of the show (the order and the flow and such, with as little singing as possible) and all the kids had been hugged by most all of the stars (girls hugged everyone, the guys only hugged the Chipettes and Koda). Now they were all backstage, dressed up and ready to go.

"Koda, you look amazing," Dave complimented as he came back make sure their headphones were on right. "Now remember, once these are on the audience hears everything."

"Got it," Koda nodded, latching onto Jeanette's hand. Jeanette was hands down her best friend, and the others could see that. Now that Koda could read and write, the two talked literature all the time. Well, that and musicals and, Koda's latest fancy, film-making. Then there was the bit where the three (Koda, Jeanette, and Simon) swapped science ideas. Koda gave tips to Simon on how to be more natural and use less chemicals, Simon taught her what chemicals would be catastrophic if mixed. Stuff like that.

"I picked out the dress," Brittany said cheerfully. Koda was wearing a strapless dress that hung down just above her knees. It was white with a black ribbon around the waist. Simple, but it looked as though it was tailor-made for Koda.

"We picked out the hat," Alvin snapped back. That was the only thing that had really gone back to normal since October. Alvin and Brittany's bickering, and that was the same little bickering they'd had from before the paparazzi had declared them 'the cutest young couple.' The hat was a white fedora with a black ribbon.

"So? The hat would be nothing without the perfect outfit."

"Enough," Dave said, putting his hands on their shoulders. "We're here for the homeless, not to bicker about who made Koda look nice tonight." Koda giggled. "Hurry up, you need to open the show." The sun wasn't going to set for another two hours, but this was probably the longest concert in history with all the celebrities that were there. All genres of music were represented too.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"When the working, when the working day is done,

Oh when the working day is done.

Oh girls, girls just wanna have fun.

(They just wanna, they just wanna-a-a)

(They just wanna, they just wanna-a-a)

Oh girls, girls just wanna have fun.

(They just wanna, they just wanna-a-a)

(They just wanna, they just wanna-a-a)

Girls just wanna have fun."

The audience cheered as the Chipettes and Koda finished their little song and hurried off the stage. Some other celebrity was up now and they hurried to their dressing trailer (a make-shift trailer that had been set up special for the kids) and grabbed some water, checked their hair and make- up, complimented each other, and annoyed Alvin half to tears after he came in from announcing Phil Collins, who would be singing the old hit song, 'Another Day in Paradise.' Alvin had just gone in to grab a light snack because he felt like he was going to pass out because he was so hungry.

As soon as Alvin left the trailer, however, the female celebrities were all around him talking to him and telling him how adorable he was and how it didn't matter how young the Chipmunks were, everyone could relate to their music. They asked all sorts of questions now that they had the chance, and Alvin found out that everyone (celebrity or not) was fascinated by the fact that they were not only still in grade school, but they were chipmunks besides. Besides the Chipettes, they were the only chipmunks that lived in the civilized world. He really didn't see what was so amazing about it though. Simon tried to push his way to his brother just to talk and entertain himself, but he ended up getting plowed back.

"Simon!" he heard a scratchy voice calling. "Simon, can I ask a favor?" The chipmunk spun around, a bit stunned to see the country singer Mark Wills standing there.

"Sure," he managed to gasp out.

"My throat's kinda sore and I won't be able to sing my song tonight, and Koda told me how much she was looking forward to hearing it since she missed out on hearing you sing it at your unofficial concert this last Christmas. Well, seeing as she seemed so excited to hear you sing it and seeing as how I can't sing it, could you get out there and sing it for me?" Simon was stunned. He stood with his mouth hanging open, just staring in awe and amazement. "He-llo? Anyone in there?"

"Y-yes sir…I mean, of course I'll sing it…I just don't want to butcher it…"

"Simon, you're one of the Chipmunks. It's the one after the next…Do I have to ask your dad or can you just do this and surprise them? You are a host, so you can go ahead and announce what's going on. I'll still be up there playing my guitar, so if anyone seems too shocked you can just hand it over to me and I'll talk for them to prove I can't sing. How's about it?"

"I…Yes!" Simon went and stood nervously by the edge of the stage as Brittany nearly jumped out into the audience with her enthusiasm as she announced the group that was singing before he was.

"Simon," the singer said as he stood beside the chipmunk, "don't you freeze on me. You're a big star. You're above stage freight."

"I know…I just…eh…" Mark glanced around, seeing Alvin freed up and talking with Theodore. He walked over to them.

"You two think you can calm Simon down?"

"What's wrong with him?" Alvin replied defensively.

"He's nervous 'cause I asked him to sing the song for me. You can hear that I don't have enough of a voice tonight, so…" He stopped short when he saw Alvin's glare. "What's wrong?"

"Why didn't you ask me?"

"Because the song suits Simon's voice better. Now, could you be ready to calm him down if he freezes?"

"Don't sweat. We live together. I know all the things that will un-freeze him once he's in a trance."

"All you have to do is mess with his science stuff," Theodore said, referring to all the times Alvin had gotten Simon's attention away from homework.

"But his science experiments aren't here right now. There's other ways Theodore. Believe me, there's other ways."

"Don't hurt him!" Mark warned, heading back over and giving Simon a push as the group finished up their song and moved away. He went to the center, waving, moving so that his microphone screeched, making Dave nervous, and then he froze completely.

"Now!" Alvin shouted and Theodore turned on the hose he'd found. Simon quickly found himself doused in warm water (they were lucky it was warm).

"Al-vin!" Simon and Dave yelled at the same time (Dave wasn't even on stage and he didn't have a headset but everyone still heard him perfectly).

"Take it away little brother!" Alvin laughed, darting backstage again.

"Why'd you do that?" Dave demanded.

"He froze."

"He did look nervous, but did you have to…?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You'll see."

"Well, um…" Simon looked back at Mark Wills. "Mark has told me that he cannot sing the song tonight because he has a…" Mark laughed into his headset (he'd managed to keep completely silent up until now).

"I can't talk, let alone sing," his voice scratched out for the audience. Simon breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't have to announce this. Announcing groups was easier than announcing changes, especially when he'd never had a spotlight quite like this. "So I'd be very appreciative if you'd go ahead and turn my mike off, you people up there know who you are, and let this nice young chipmunk have the spotlight." Simon grinned as the audience broke out into cheers. "Take it away kid." Only Simon heard that. The mike was already off.

"I'm a little boy with glasses, the one they call a geek,

A little girl who never smiles 'cause I've got braces on my teeth.

And I know how it feels to cry myself to sleep.

I'm that kid on every playground who's always chosen last,

A single teenage mother trying to overcome my past.

You don't have to be my friend,

Is it to much to ask…?

Don't laugh at me, don't call me names,

Don't get your pleasure from my pain.

In God's eyes, we're all the same,

Someday we'll all have perfect wings.

Don't laugh at me."

It was weird, not having his brother's back him up. But Mark was ahead of that. He motioned for the two Chipmunks that were standing on the side beside Dave to come on out and he'd passed his guitar over to Alvin before the last 'don't laugh at me' in that chorus. Then he went ahead and went off stage, the three huge TV screens set up above the stage showing him leaving and going out to help some of the homeless people that were helping backstage. Simon was oblivious to this at this point, his face still pointed towards the audience.

"I'm the cripple on the corner, you pass me on the street,

And I wouldn't be out here beggin' if I had enough to eat.

And don't think I don't notice that our eyes never meet.

I lost my wife and little boy, someone crossed that yellow line,

The day we laid them in the ground is the day I lost my mind.

Right now I'm down to holding this little cardboard son."

Simon jumped slightly as he heard his brothers in the back this time singing the back-up. But he only turned his head for a second, then turned back to the teary-eyed audience (the right TV screen was showing what Mark Wills was up to, the left one showing the stage, and the center showing the life of the people that had to live on the streets, as filmed by Koda who was accepted as one of their own and no one tried to cover up their lives with her).

"So don't laugh at me, don't call me names,

Don't get your pleasure from my pain.

In God's eyes, we're all the same,

Someday we'll all have perfect wings.

Don't laugh at me.

I'm fat, I'm thin, I'm short, I'm tall.

I'm deaf, I'm blind…Hey aren't we all?

Don't laugh at me, don't call me names,

Don't get your pleasure from my pain.

In God's eyes, we're all the same,

Someday we'll all have perfect wings.

Don't laugh at me."

Again, the crowd erupted as the three boys slipped off-stage and got a hug from Dave (something everyone saw thanks to the TV screen on the right) as Jeanette tripped out on stage to announce another one of their groups.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Ok everyone," Dave announced, taking his turn center-stage. "I've watched my kids and the Chipettes and Koda announce everyone all night long, with no one to announce them. But, since this is their only song with all of them singing together, I can understand that a little. Well, tonight's finale is the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, and Batty Koda singing 'Heaven is a Place on Earth'!" The lights that had been centered on him started darting around the audience as the intro music played out.

"Oo, baby, do you know that's worth?

Oo, Heaven is a place on Earth.

They say in Heaven, love comes first,

We'll make heaven a place on Earth."

Finally, the red, green, and blue lights centered on the Chipmunks (leaving the Chipettes in the dark for just a bit longer) as they sang the first verse. First Alvin sang alone, then Simon and Theodore joined in with their voices with the girls singing the back-up oo's.

"When the night falls down,

I wait for you and you come around."

"And the world's alive,

With the sound of kids on the street outside."

"When you walk into the room (ooo-ooo),

You pull me close and we start to move (ooo-ooo).

And we're spinning with the stars above (ooo-ooo)

And you lift me up in a wave of love (ooo-ooo)."

Then they reached back into the darkness and latched onto the hands of their respective Chipette (Koda was going to have a different entrance) and swung them around to the music as the girls sang the chorus with them.

"Oo, baby do you know what that's worth?

Oo, Heaven is a place on Earth.

They say in Heaven love comes first,

We'll make Heaven a place on Earth.

Oo, Heaven is a place on Earth."

Brittany stepped forward to sing her lead with her sister's back-up (and then, for the second two lines, she switched with Eleanor).

"When I feel alone (feel alone)

I reach for you and you bring me home."

"When I'm lost at sea (lost at sea),

I hear your voice and it carries me."

They'd been moving back towards the darkness as they sang, and now they spun and pulled their friend onstage with the main white spotlight shining straight down on Koda and Jeanette for their solos.

"In this world we're just beginning (ooo-ooo)

To understand the miracle of living (ooo-000)."

Jeanette reached forward and grabbed her friend's hand as she sang her two lines.

"Maybe I was afraid before (ooo-ooo)

But I'm not afraid anymore (000-000)."

It was everyone this time, the boys standing in-between the girls as the center TV screen started showing scenes of building the place they were at with the homeless helping and the chipmunks helping and everything was just going along smoothly. Well, except for Koda's hat flying off her head because of a sudden gust of wind, but she caught it and the audience marveled at her ears as they stood back up in their normal position.

"Oo, Baby, do you know what that's worth?

Oo, Heaven is a place on Earth.

They say in Heaven love comes first,

We'll make Heaven a place on Earth.

Oo, Heaven is a place on Earth."

Then it was time for a mostly-instrumental solo (aside from one word that repeated itself a bit), so they had their dancing in the middle. Somehow three boys had to dance with four girls…they managed to make it look fancy and professional even though they all felt like it was utter chaos. As for that one word, the boys sung it first then the girls echoed it a few seconds later.

"(Heaven.)"

"(Heaven.)"

Then it was back to the main song, this time with Simon and Theodore sharing the part before the chorus.

"In this world we're just beginning

To understand the miracle of living."

"Maybe I was afraid before (ooo-ooo),

But I'm not afraid anymore (ooo-ooo)."

Then the real guitar solo. They made this dance a little better organized. When they were done, the line-up was all jumbled. They just stood where they ended up (really, Eleanor and Koda were the only two out of place, Koda being in Ellie's spot in the line).

"Oo, Baby, do you know what that's worth?

Oo, Heaven is a place on Earth.

They say in Heaven love comes first,

We'll make Heaven a place on Earth.

Oo, Heaven is a place on Earth.

Oo, Heaven is a place on Earth.

Oo, Heaven is a place on Earth.

Oo, Heaven is a place on Earth."

They all took their final bow as the fireworks went off and the audience screamed their approval. Then they all ran out and leaped into Dave's arms (Dave was used to catching six kids sometimes, so adding Koda to the mix wasn't much difference, especially because she was so light she could perch on Alvin's shoulder if she needed to). "Guess what?" he whispered when the headsets were turned off (the camera was still trained on them though, and they were center-screen as the audience left).

"What?" Alvin asked, not wanting to wait.

"Disney studio wants us, that's all of us, to do a CD of some of their classic movie songs." He looked around for the general reaction. The girls cheered, the boys were skeptical. "It'll be done here in LA before schools out if you want, and it's all sorts of songs for everyone. What do you think?"

"Is the pay good?" Alvin asked.

"The pay is only a small part of the matter."

"And what's the rest of it?" Simon asked, not needing an answer but wanting to hear one anyway.

"You guys wanting to do it, you guys liking the idea of doing it, and you all enjoying singing these songs." The kids smiled, all of them hugging.

"So how did you get this information anyway?"

"The studio called while you were singing just now."

"Just now?" Alvin echoed.

"They were really impressed with how you didn't mind doing some older music on national TV and at how good you were at it. They couldn't wait to ask. I told them I'd ask you and call back soon."

"Yes!" was the instantaneous collective reply. Well, except for Koda. She stayed silent.

"What about you Koda?"

"Does that deal include me?"

"Weren't you just up there singing that song with them?"

"Yes?"

"Then, yes, it includes you." She grinned as Jeanette latched onto her, giving her a hug.

"Welcome to the life of a celebrity," the girls giggled. It seemed Koda was going to be a permanent member of their little group. Well, they wouldn't have it any other way. The only thing was, the Chipettes couldn't just change their group name…But Koda solved that as they headed for the car by telling them that she'd just sing with them as a 'special guest' and be a bodyguard and camera girl all the other times.

People waved and cheered as the kids all piled into the car, and the kids all waved back. "Sleep tight everyone!" Sophie and Jeremy shouted. The two of them were holding hands, and they had proudly announced that they were engaged. A cheap, junk-yard ring was all they had in way of normalcy, but it was an engagement all the same.

"Koda!" Nate yelled, him and his cousin running up to the car, reaching out to hug the kids. "You were all wonderful tonight…Koda, I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you," Koda grinned, wrapping her arms around him (only to be pulled down into her seat by Jeanette and Brittany).

"You're in a skirt," Brittany hissed. "We really have to teach you how to be a girl."

"You guys should make a CD for 80s music," Tammy said as she leaned against the door. "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Heaven is a Place on Earth…You guys really make 80s music amazing and appealing for young kids as well as people who have attempted to put the 80s into the past."

"That'll never happen." Everyone glanced at Brittany. "What? They can't deny that legwarmers are comfortable, that 80s music rocks, or that skating is fun."

"Skating?" Koda whispered.

"Don't even say it!"

"You've never been skating, having you?" Alvin asked her.

"No…" Koda whispered.

"Never ridden a bike, never skated…what next?"

"We can fix that," Jeanette giggled. "We'll just have to get you a pair of skates."

"This coming from the girl who can't skate without holding onto a person or a wall," Brittany teased.

"I love you too, Brittany." Jeanette hugged her sister from one side, Eleanor from the other. Nate patted Koda's shoulder, latching onto his cousin to drag her back to his car so they could get home. They had to work the next day.

"Come by and visit whenever you feel like it," Tammy encouraged, waving good-bye to everyone. "I know where he hid the candy!" Everyone cracked up as Nate shouted something about Tammy being just like that annoying baby sister.

"You guys need to get to bed," Dave decided as they all yawned. It started with Alvin and moved through the kids like some weird version of the wave. They didn't need a bed to fall asleep though. Everyone was already asleep before he reached the Chipette's house.


End file.
